Father of Sora
by Devicon
Summary: I am going through a complete revising of this story. The story itself shouldn't change, but there will be some major changes done. I look forward to being able to share it with you all.
1. A War forgotten Revised

Screams echoed through the streets of Reath as the Shadows known as Heartless ran through the streets terrorizing everyone they saw. Not a single street in Reath was dark as everything possible done to destroy the Heartless threat, but nothing was going to stop the onslaught. Kyle's hands shook with fear as he witnessed the mayhem. Someone pounded on the door to his room, and before he could answer his friend Darren threw the door open.

"Kyle, get your things they've called a complete evacuation." Darren said standing stiffly in the doorway. Kyle envied Darren, his bravery. Darren was Syrus's best student and Prodigy to the rank of Knight to the wielders. It wouldn't be long until they came to collect him… but here he was telling him this? "Did you hear me?"

"I heard you." Kyle said numbly, as he feebly struggled with himself to get moving.

"Then come on, let's get going!" Kyle shook his head.

"If we all scramble to the Evacuation site none of us will make it. After they take the city they will pursue them all the way there." Darren's shoulders dropped lightly as he cocked his head inquisitively. He had never heard Kyle talk like this before, he had never given up. "What's the point of running?"

"Shut up Kyle." Kyle felt himself snap a little as bits of anger rose to the surface. "I never want to hear you say something like that again do you hear me?" Kyle faced Darren signs of irritation lining his face.

"What would you have me do?"

"Come with me, fight beside me! I would want no other beside me." Kyle's anger stopped dead as his heart nearly did. "Like you said, they won't last a minute if someone doesn't stop them! Come with me and we'll rid them from this city and buy them some time!" Kyle feeling regretful for his doubt smiled in shame. "What do you say?"

"I say we've sat here and talked long enough." Darren smiled, that was more the Kyle he knew. Brave to the end, even if he needed a push every now and then. Kyle and Darren both raced out of the Apprentice Quarters and out of the Barracks into the city streets. Screams came towards them from down the street, and as they turned to face the screams there was a woman who had fallen to the ground, her daughter standing beside her trying to help her mother up. Kyle and Darren both ran as fast as they could to the screaming child.

Kyle's Heart chilled as he could feel the Heartless closing in on them. His senses were right: just before they got to the child Shadows started slowly closing in on the child as if to mock Darren and Kyle for their slowness. Feeling for the power he had become accustomed to, mentally he reached out to it and willed it into action. Kyle felt his Keyblade's weight suddenly in his hand as he raced faster to the child's side. The closest Shadow closed in on the child and reached out with clawed hands. A surge of fear welled up inside Kyle, fearing he would be too late to save the girl.

"No… never again." Kyle whispered to himself the willed the power to force himself to go faster, and as he did so he could feel pavement crunching beneath every step. Within a second Kyle crossed the distance and slashed at the Heartless, watching it vaporize before his eyes.

"Darren, grab the girl!" Kyle yelled furiously. Darren picked the girl up off the ground, and before he could do anything Kyle had jumped into a larger group of Heartless, attacking them with wild Abandon.

'_That's the Kyle I know._' Darren said to himself, as he raced to keep up with Kyle. Everything was vivid to Kyle, slow and deliberate, as he carved a path through the Shadows. His first and only thought was to survive, because if he could not save himself he could not save anyone. He saw as the Shadows began to retreat from his presence, being called away by their master.

"Darren, take the girl to the convoy and meet me in the center of town. We'll hold them off there." Kyle's tone was not meant to be demanding, merely urgent. Although Darren couldn't help but hear the authority in his voice. Darren took off down the street, dodging the occasional Heartless that would jump out and surprise him. Kyle turned the opposite direction, seeing more Heartless chasing down citizens. Griping his Keyblade tightly he forced himself to exert all his power to race from street-side to street-side, jumping from staircases and off walls as he ran, laying waste to every Heartless he could see.

A block down he started seeing the crowd of Heartless thinning. But bleeding from windows and alleyways another breed of Heartless had joined in the fray. A mockery of what is meant to defend, the Heartless Soldiers were mixing with the Shadows making it harder for Kyle to discern movements. Soldiers moved erratically and could either become defensive or offensive in a moments notice. Shifting stances Kyle jumped into the air, landing amidst the throng of enemies.

Although powerful he was finding it difficult to keep up. His practices with 'Mirages' were good practice, but as he now knew they weren't much compared to the real thing. A sharp pain intruded his thoughts as claws ripped through his shirt and into his shoulder. Kyle spun in place and saw the Heartless retreating, readying for another attack.

With a roar of anger Kyle brought his Keyblade down upon the Heartless, followed by a resounding shockwave from his blow. '_I need to keep my head on straight, or else._'

Darren ran as fast as he could, counting streets. It was a habit of his, he'd either count steps or streets, depending on his mood. He finally rounded the corner to 3rd street and saw a group of more Keyblade Wielders, possibly Knights, guarding a group of Civilians.

"Is this the Convoy?" Darren asked hurriedly.

"The one and only." One of the Wielders said smiling.

"Take the girl and make sure she gets out of here!" Darren said handing the weeping girl to the other Wielder.

"And where are you going? Syrus has declared a complete evacuation of this planet and the surrounding systems!"

"I have a date with Destiny, watch over her and take care!" Darren spun around and started back down the road he had come. People passed him as he raced on, all of them seemingly uninjured. Darren was sure this was Kyle's doing. Although he became increasingly worried as the further he went there was more destruction. He finally got to the center of town and looked around him. All around him were ruins, even if it was more spacious here then anywhere else in the town.

"Kyle!" There was no answer. "Kyle, where are you!" As if in response he felt the ground shake a bit, and within moments the building directly in front of him collapsed, Kyle barely managing to jump from a window before the collapse reached him.

Kyle was torn up and scuffed, even a little bloodied, but he seemed to be fairing well all things considered. Kyle halfheartedly jogged to Darren.

"And what may I ask were you doing?" Darren asked smiling. Kyle shook his head.

"Me? I was doing my part. Maybe even a bit of yours." Kyle said smiling a bit. Darren looked hurt, but obviously wasn't from his smile.

"A bit of mine? Might I add I have seniority! My part should never be as big, you know that." Kyle laughed a bit.

"Whatever you say. Be ready, here they come." Kyle's eyes hardened and became focused. Darren materialized his Keyblade and faced the opposite direction as Kyle.

"So, I bet I can get more then you." Kyle's focused look broke for a moment, as a smile crept across his face.

"We'll see about that."

Chris wiped the sweat off his brow, never before had he been forced to evacuate. He had done business many times before in Reath, but never did the Heartless even dare to set foot on the surface. A young, pretty and yet familiar face poked from the entrance to his ship.

"We're almost done loading. We can take off soon." the girl, Sandra, said. Chris noted that she was smiling, albeit a bit of an odd one.

"Good. Once we're done loading we'll hover just out of sight for a while." Sandra nodded her acknowledgement and went back into the ship. "By the way Sandra, you're smiling again."

"Am I? I didn't notice." Sandra called out from the inside of the ship.

"Just make sure you're not if we run into someone. They might think you're a bit loony, considering the situation." Chris cracked his knuckles. A chill went down his spine as he could feel something wasn't right… there was something happening he couldn't see. "You still there Sandra?" She poked her head out again.

"Yes?"

"Forget that last part, we can load from another port, something isn't right. We're going to try to go help." Sandra nodded again and ran inside the ship towards the cockpit, Chris right behind her. Chris closed the door behind himself, and seated himself in the Pilot's chair like he had so many times.

"Engines activated, thrusters functioning properly, weapons online." Sandra said flipping switches and monitoring screens.

"Let's get this baby off the ground." Sandra grabbed the controls for the weapons while Chris pulled back on his controls, trying to get the ship to lift. Slowly but surely, the ship shuddered and rose off the ground. The radio crackled to life. Chris put on his headset.

"Unidentified Ship, you are ordered to evacuate and meet at the designated planet. Do you read me?" A voice asked over the radio.

"I copy control, but I'm inclined to say no. I'm staying." Chris said sternly.

"As you are an independent trader we cannot force you. But as you already know if something should happen to you or your vessel you cannot expect there to be a rescue."

"I copy that control. Just point me in the direction that needs my help."

Kyle could feel his arms burning with the sustained exertion, which was only multiplied by the pain in his shoulder from his previous wound. Grinding his teeth he fought on as the Heartless kept coming relentlessly.

"What are you at?" Kyle heard Darren yell back to him.

"Nearly two hundred!" Kyle yelled back, grimacing as he continued his work.

"I have over three!" Slashing his blade in a line in front of him, Kyle managed to safely face Darren.

"I call bull!" Darren laughed.

"You're right! Minus a hundred to my score, I'm now at one fifty!" Kyle managed a short laugh. He did not realize this, but when Darren was not under attack he would watch Kyle in awe. His raw strength and terribly destructive power sent shivers of both fear and admiration down Darren's spine. Never before had he seen someone so talented with the Keyblade.

The fight continued it's vicious cycle: They fight and destroy Heartless, and then more would come to replace them. Before either one knew what had happened, even though they believed they had carefully maneuvered, they found themselves standing back to back, completely surrounded. Time seemed to slow as they realized the folly they had committed. Kyle's heart beat strongly yet seemingly slowly, as if to savor it's last moments.

"Get down!" someone yelled. Darren and Kyle both looked up in unison to see a ship flying overhead. Darren grabbed Kyle by the shoulder and ran with him behind a wall for cover.

Then the unmistakable sound of gunfire rang through the air. Peeking over the wall they saw the ship firing on the scrambling Heartless. Kyle grabbed Darren by the collar and brought him close.

"We can do no more here! They've overwhelmed the city, let's meet with the others and regroup!" Without warning both boys jumped over the wall and ran through the gunfire, and though it didn't stop they ran through it.

Chris saw the boys jump over the wall and run through the gunfire. He smiled to himself, he had to admire their guts.

"Sandra, let's keep it up. Those two risked their necks for everyone to evacuate, now it's our turn." Chris let the ship go closer to the ground, settling just above the rooftops of the houses. "Good luck kids."

Running as fast as their weary bodies would allow they made their way down the streets, cutting through alleys and lawns to make better time. Kyle's legs buckled beneath him and he fell hard to the pavement. Darren turned for a moment and faced Kyle.

"Go on! I'll catch up." Kyle called to him. Barely able to stand himself, Darren ran back and grabbed Kyle by the arm and belt and lifted him off the ground. "I said go!"

"Not without you idiot!" Darren said grinding his teeth. Half-dragging Kyle they made it to the border where the evacuation was. "Come on Kyle, just a little further!" Focusing what little strength remained in his body he managed to speed himself up, lessening the load for Darren. They passed the border and were immediately met by Knights of Reath.

"Are there any others coming?" one of the Knights asked. Darren shook his head.

"We're it." One of the Knights took Kyle while the other grabbed onto Darren and led them further until they reached the evacuation building.

Fire was blazing all around now, yet the Heartless kept coming.

"Gun 'A' is empty. Gun 'B' down to 25%. Cannon is down to it's last few rounds." Sandra said. Chris grimaced at the ensuing chaos and wondered how the Heartless even still had one left to occupy the city? "Gun 'B' empty. I advise we retreat and reload."

"Agreed. Let's hope those kids got out of here." Chris pulled up on the controls, and the ship lifted away from harm, and leaving behind devastation.

Darren and Kyle hobbled alongside the Knights helping them. The building was empty besides them. There wasn't even a ship left for them to retreat with. One of the Knights groaned and stamped his foot angrily.

"Where are the ships?" Kyle asked. Neither of the Knights answered, merely looked at each other.

"The rail-train. If we get to the rail-train beneath us we may be able to get far enough away to get a rescue evac." The other Knight nodded, and together they led Darren and Kyle to the stairs leading down. It took a short while to get down, but once they were there the rail-train seemed to not be functioning. Running to the front car of the train, the Knight carrying Kyle let him go and started doing something to the controls.

"Five minutes till this thing get's moving." the Knight said. Crashing could be heard coming from the floor above them, and they all instinctually knew they didn't have five minutes. The Knight helping Darren looked over to the Knight inside the train.

"Get these boys safely out of here." And as he said it he let go of Darren and raced back for the stairs, and disappeared. The train was almost ready to go, but it still had two minutes left on it, and the sounds of battle subsided. The Knight rammed his fist into the door opposite him, knowing full well his friend was gone. Looking up he locked eyes with both Darren and Kyle.

"You must stay in the train. Stay till it leaves." the Knight said grabbing both boys and dragging them into the train. Once they were inside he walked to just outside the doorway, turned around and threw something to them. "It's a transmitter, activate it once you're safely out of here. You boys did well today." The Knight shut the door tightly, and turned to fight the growing mob that spilled down the stairway.

"Let me fight! Let me out!" Darren yelled, trying to pry the door open. Kyle managed to stand and also tried to pry the door open, but to no avail.

"Rail-train online. Emergency Transportation activated." the train's com said.

"Let us help!" The Knight turned to them.

"Don't let us down! Find out who did this, and make them pay!" The Rail-train started up suddenly, and wasted no time. The Knight became a distant sight, lost in the tunnel. Both boys slid to a sitting position as despair crept into their Hearts. And though they wanted to cry, they were going to be strong now. They had a new duty to perform.

Hours went by, until finally they could feel the train slowing. After a time they felt it slow to a stop, and the doors opened. Kyle and Darren managed to stand up, having rested for a time, and made their way outside. They saw they were alone, no ships, not other people. Carefully Darren activated the transmitter halfheartedly. They could hear a noise from over the edge of the cliff.

Darren and Kyle looked over the edge of the cliff and felt the evil crawling up towards them. Millions of Heartless were racing across the field with a purpose. Darren looked in Kyle's direction with a blank expression. Kyle returned the look and took a deep breath in.

"It's never over." Kyle said exhausted.

"Never." Darren agreed. "Don't lose hope, our path is set and our fates are intertwined. We chose this destiny."

"I know." Kyle said grimly, knowing that this path was foolhardy and meant their demise. "Let's see it to the end." Darren smiled wryly. With a flick of their wrists they called forth their Keyblades.

"You ready for this?" Darren asked him.

"No, but let's do it anyway." Without another word Darren and Kyle leapt off the edge, right into the heart of the horde of enemies. Kyle felt a surge of adrenaline as the first of the enemies surrounded him. The Heartless charged him without relenting, he cut them down and cut them down but they wouldn't stop, and endless waltz. In the corner of his eye he saw Darren rending through entire lines of them without mercy.

Kyle could feel himself wearing down as yet another Shadow fell by his blade and ten more rose up to meet him in combat. Even amidst this carnage Kyle heard a ghostly scream escape Darren. An explosion sent Kyle to his back, blowing him back a good ten feet. The Heartless now gave Darren a wide berth, fear flooded Kyle as he saw the new form of Darren. Darren had become a beast, a creature of darkness wielding a Keyblade in one hand and claws in the other. He was a lopsided monster, his head had contorted into a wolf's, his left hand now bore claws that were meant to rend and tear through even the thickest of armor, he had a tail made of bone, both feet were hoofed like a minotaur, his chest was relatively unchanged except the new symbol he bore on it.

Darren was now one of the enemy, a Heartless. His eyes were cold and empty, all traces of his friend erased. Kyle tensed, preparing an all-out, no-mercy death match against his former friend. Darren's Heartless roared and lunged at Kyle. Kyle managed to parry the worthless Keyblade and dodged the menacing claws. With a sad glance, Kyle thrust his Keyblade into Darren's Heartless's chest. For a glimmer of a moment before he faded into darkness he thought he felt some measure of Darren, it was small but he knew it had been there. Almost as if Darren had just thanked him.

With his former friend slain by his hand, the adrenaline that had coursed in his veins like an unbidden power, now coupled with the anger of a dying race, it burned through his veins feeling like a fire that would consume him. Time itself seemed to be going at a crawl compared to him, his strength and speed had increased a hundred fold. He let go, his pain too great to care for his own wellbeing, he madly struck at the Heartless that continued to cover the landscape like an eclipse. His fury became so great that the world itself began to tremble beneath every blow. It was like trying to stop the ocean with a pebble, they broke on him like waves on land.

Though his whole body seared with pain from the exertion of his actions he would not stop. The battlefield that was once a fertile land lush with life and a place of serenity, would never again bare life and the land itself could almost be heard weeping for an end to this chaos.

The horde was nowhere near it's end before Kyle gave in to his exhaustion and pain and dropped to his knees, staring grudgingly at the Heartless who seemed to glare back, as if mocking him. Gathering what little strength he had left he stood up, waveringly, and lifted his blade to eye level and scanned the crowd with it.

"Come to me! Come to meet your doom! I shall deliver you from the darkness that enslaves you!" Kyle yelled. For a moment they stirred, as if considering what he had said. Then once again they charged at him with the ferocity of a large pack of jackals trying to take down a lion. He responded in kind, the small fire that still burned within him bade him to continue. The longer he fought the more his hope dwindled, but something else began to kindle inside of him, a rage that threatened to overtake him.

It was his curse, till they destroyed him he would fight as relentlessly as they would. Numbers meant nothing to him, he was a Keyblade wielder. His Teachers had taught him to ignore numbers and to attack the whole as if it was one individual. Even in his weakening state his power was a sight to behold. As the sun began to set further into dusk and the shadows on the horizon grew in length, it seemed as if the planet itself was giving birth to the shadows, an unending horde marched ever onward to their weakening foe.

A rather large Heartless spewed forth from his own shadow, taking on a mock shape of a human. A Neo Shadow as he called them. They were much more powerful than all the other Heartless. To kill them one had to use the power of light itself. A power he did not have. It lunged for him and he barely managed to avoid it's massive hands but only to throw himself in the path of the rest of the shadow army. He felt their clawed hands rending at him, clawing down to his very soul, threatening to tear him in two.

They threw themselves at him until his whole view went dark. He realized that he should feel scared or angry, but he found himself slipping into a numbing bliss. His worries seemed to slip away, all his painful memories were being lost to the endless oblivion. He knew what was happening, they were dividing him, making another Heartless to add to their legion. He welcomed it, began to embrace it. In his mind he saw a glimmer of light, a small speck of what he used to be. In the light resided his memories, his awareness, his existence. He was desperate, he wanted to let go, to sink perfectly into the darkness and become one with it.

'_Hey, I'm not letting you give up that easily!' _a voice yelled, bringing him to a somewhat awareness. Coming out of the light appeared a woman, there was something about her that made him feel safer then he ever had. The woman extended her hand as if to help him up. Kyle reached and grasped her hand, and like a shock of electricity energy passed between them. Memories flooded back, as did their pain. _'I will not let you be divided so easily!'_

The light continued to pour in until it was blinding. Kyle shielded his eyes from the light, and when the light faded he looked around him. All the Heartless had stopped and all seemed to stare at him with confused eyes. He looked around him, they had all stopped and were staring at him.

'_Don't move, we're going to get you out of there!'_ a voice yelled over the radio on his shoulder. He stood completely still and seconds later a small ship descended and hovered just above the ground. The hatch on the back opened and a man poked his head out.

"Don't just stand there get in!" Without thinking twice Kyle ran and jumped into the back. After he was in the hatch closed at the same time the ship took off into the sky again. Kyle made his way to the front of the ship where two people were sitting in front managing the controls.

"Strap yourself in kid, or you're going to regret it here in a minute." said the pilot. Kyle seated himself just behind the pilot and made sure he was properly secured. "Jumping in orbit? Chris, you know the risks." the female in the middle said in a monotone voice.

"Sandra, not now!" Chris, the pilot, yelled. The ship rocked as it prepared the Jump Stasis Field around the ship. "Jumping now!" A force pushed Kyle back in his seat as the ship entered jump. After a few moments a light came on.

'_The planet is now exactly 42 light years away. No enemy ships have made pursuit. Suggested that we drop out of Jump to preserve power.' _the ship's intercom said.

"Do it." Chris said. As Chris made his command the force pushing Kyle back stopped_. _"You okay kid? We thought we were going to lose you."

"I can handle myself." Kyle said coldly.

"We saw. It was a brave thing you did in the city." Sandra said never looking at Kyle. Kyle made no reply. He and Darren had known they odds when they fought the Heartless. What else could they have done? They were distracting them so the other Wielders could get away.

"What happened to your friend anyway? One minute he was on our radar the next he was gone."

"He turned into a Heatless. I had no choice but to defeat him." His reply was cold but sad.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Do you have any idea where the rest of them went?" Kyle thought about it for a moment. He had been told about this before... if something like this occurred they'd leave the star system and mobilize together for a frontal attack on the Heartless's planet of Origin. Although with how few that had escaped, he doubted very greatly they'd be back in his lifetime. If nothing else they'd set up a perimeter so that the Heartless couldn't leave the system. Either way he was alone behind enemy lines.

"They left the system."

"What?" Chris looked a little perturbed by the answer he had received. "They are coming back right?"

"I wouldn't hold your breath on that one." Kyle replied looking out the window towards the stars, trying hard to keep composed. Chris leaned back in his seat and sighed deeply.

"Then I guess we'll have to leave too." Chris said, almost chocking on every word he said. He didn't like the idea of leaving this system, any system, to the Heartless. He had seen what becomes of those places. Floating, desolate, debris that sits in space without purpose.

"No." Kyle said abruptly. "I will not abandon this system even if I were to be the last person in it! If the Heartless want it they will have to destroy me and whatever planet I'm on just to stop me! And... there's something I have to do." Sandra looked back at him with a blank expression. He recognized that lifeless stare she gave him, she was a Nobody. Only half a person. Yet somehow she didn't give that same empty feeling the others do. She was also around his age, maybe a year or two between them at most.

"Don't be so hasty as to just throw your life away to the first just cause you spot." Sandra said.

"And what would a Nobody know of matters of the Heart?" Kyle asked provokingly.

"I used to know. I threw it all away about three years ago to the first thing that took me away from my 'dull and boring' life."

"And why should I trust you? Most Nobodies are hell-bent on becoming whole no matter the means is."

"I didn't say you should, but you should because I have a purpose for existing."

"And what might that be?" Kyle asked.

"To find my real Heart, and because I refuse to follow the Darkness." This caught Kyle off guard. That would be the slowest way of becoming whole again. There had to be a million quicker ways, but she chose this path? Sandra smiled, it looked warm and heartfelt, although there was no glow behind it. "I remember what it's like to be happy, unlike most who are intent on remembering anger."

"I'm sorry." Kyle apologized bowing his head so he could hide the shame in his face. He had been told of Nobodies like her, even though they were rare indeed. They are the ones that helped many Heartless and Nobodies become one again.

"Hey kid, save your apologies for those who care for them. But in either case it seems we are at an impasse here. We should leave and get you back to the others, but it seems to me that you don't want to leave. Is that how it is kid?"

"Yes." Kyle was straight faced again, once again determined not to leave. "I won't leave."

"Hey kid just ask nicely enough and I might be inclined to let us stay." As Chris said this, Kyle knew he didn't want to leave either.

"Please…"

"Sure thing kid. What's your name anyway, I don't feel like calling you kid all the time."

"Kyle."

"Well, Kyle, where to?"

"Crystal Gardens."


	2. Unbidden fury Revised

Minutes after they had gotten out of orbit of Reath Kyle stood up and wandered through the corridors of the ship. His feet felt like lead and his head buzzed with so many questions. A cramp in his forearm caught his attention. He hadn't noticed he was making a fist, but once he saw it he could feel the tension rising from his hand traveling up his arm. This pure anger was intoxicating, feeling like it was empowering him but killing him.

A single warm tear stung his eye as it traveled down his cheek. Making his fist tighter to compensate for the pain in his chest he struck the wall as hard as he could. He couldn't stop, something about using his anger was unsatisfying. A scream of sorrow and rage ripped through his chest and through his unwilling lips. Why had he survived? Darren and the Knights were more suited for a task such as he had now.

Chris looked at his screen and silently watched as Kyle unleashed furious blows on multiple corridor walls. Chris understood the feeling, he too had been a sole survivor once. It's not something you can forgive yourself for being. He was going to let Kyle burn himself down, it's the only thing you can do to help them. Chris only hoped the kid wouldn't hurt himself.

Kyle's breathing was labored, his tired muscles screaming in agony as he forced them to tense and release. Leaning against a wall, he slid to a sitting position, his knees to his chest. He tried getting a hold on himself, he was dizzy and felt sick. And when he felt as if everything was lost and hopeless, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He shivered under the touch, both trying to ignore it and accept the comfort it brought.

"What do you want?" Kyle asked harshly.

"I want to help." Sandra said. Without knowing where it came from a laugh escaped Kyle. He couldn't stop himself, he didn't think it was funny... but he couldn't stop laughing. Lifting his head to look at Sandra, he could see a look of concern on her face twisted with confusion.

"I don't know if you can." Kyle said, his voice cracking. Sandra knelt down in front of Kyle and put her other hand on his other shoulder. She seemed to be contemplating something, what it was Kyle couldn't even guess. Exhaling deeply Kyle bowed his head. He felt himself moving, but he was hardly aware of it. But it didn't take long until he became aware of the warmth surrounding him, an almost familiar touch. Sandra had pulled him into an embrace, and rested her head on his, rocking him back and forth.

When his head no longer spun and his feelings didn't feel like knives in his chest he slowly got to his feet bringing Sandra with him. He had words of gratitude ready to say, but he was unable to bring himself to say them. She smiled at him and nodded knowingly. He slowly moved down the corridor looking for an empty room to rest in and it didn't take him long to find one. He was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Kyle awoke a few hours later to Sandra shaking him. She was smiling slightly at him.

"We've arrived. How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Still sore from the fight earlier, but I'll live."

"I'll bet, bringing you back from the darkness wasn't an easy task. We though we lost you for a moment." Sandra said concernedly.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. You're fine so everything's okay." she said smiling and walking away. Kyle stood up and stretched. Chris walked into his room with a couple of military rations.

"Hey kid, how you holding up?" Chris said throwing a ration to Kyle.

"Like I said, a little sore still." Kyle said grumpily as he caught the ration.

"Sorry kid, I'm not psychic. I came by because I could use some company while I eat for once."

"She doesn't eat with you?" Chris smiled slightly while he opened his ration.

"No. Nobodies don't eat." For a moment Kyle was surprised, he had almost forgotten she was a Nobody.

"Are all Nobodies like that?" Kyle tore the wrapper off with his teeth.

"Like what?"

"She sounded so concerned. I could even see it in her eyes, it was so real." Chris took a bite before he answered.

"It can throw you for a loop, I just tend to ignore the fact that she is a Nobody. Something that she's told me is that even if she can't feel what she's showing, as long as I can feel it inside of me, her Heart is still with her, beating inside those she encounters." Kyle didn't quite understand what that meant, but he figured if it kept everyone sane and happy they wouldn't hear any argument from him. Sandra came from around the corner and beamed at them.

"Are you two coming or am I going alone?" It looked so real. It actually made Kyle's Heart throb uncomfortably with a pang of guilt. No matter what someone does in their life they don't deserve to be robbed of their Hearts. It was a fate worse than death.

"We'll be along in a short while Sandra. If you would try to find and notify who's ever in charge of our arrival would be nice." Chris said smiling back. She rolled her eyes and disappeared around the corner again. Chris noticed the look in Kyle's eyes. "Hey, keep your pity for when it's needed."

"I'm sorry. It's just…" Kyle never finished, only took a bite from his ration. Chris nodded knowingly.

"Come on kid, it'll annoy her if we don't catch up soon."

A couple of minutes later Chris and Kyle exited their craft and followed the trail to the main part of the city. It was rather huge, compared to the places Kyle had been. As Kyle looked around, trying to be aware, he couldn't quite shake the feeling something was off. There were no people out and about, he could hear the occasional person shuffling and whispering from inside their houses. He gave a cautious look towards Chris, who responded with the same look. Three blocks up they ran into Sandra, who was more or less skulking around with a concentrated look on her face.

"Sandra, what's up here? Why is everyone inside?" Chris asked quietly.

"I don't know, but I keep getting this vibe something isn't right with this place. It reeks of fear." Sandra replied. Kyle's hair on the back of his neck rose, and instinctively he tensed. He heard some muffled screams from inside one of the houses. He concentrated within himself, forcing his senses to kick into overdrive.

"Look out!" someone yelled out a window at them. Within an instant he had materialized his Keyblade and made a very powerful slash as he whirled around. Slain, the shadow evaporated back into darkness and released the Heart. More came up from the very ground, out of alleys, and from the tops of the buildings. They stared at them menacingly, daring them to fight. Sandra had drawn two curved blades while Chris had merely went into a fighting stance.

_'Everywhere I go they follow! It will never end until I die!' _Kyle thought to himself angrily. _'But they won't take me willingly!'_ Like a tide the Heartless converged on the three, blanketing the very ground with a dark aura. Sandra was nimbly dodging the relentless attacks and taking the advantage to slay the shadows, while Chris was powerfully hitting them with jabs that sent them flying into each other, sometimes if the opportunity presented itself he would hit some into the path of either Kyle or Sandra.

The battle ensued for a fervent ten minutes before the Heartless relented and began creeping back into the alleys and shadows. Kyle was breathing hard, anger burning in every fiber of his body. Chris and Sandra noticed that even though the Heartless were gone Kyle was still tense, as if he was ready to pounce at the first thing he saw.

"Kyle, power down okay? Just calm down…" Chris tried saying. Kyle lunged at Chris, unable to control himself. Kyle's face was twisted in a broad range of emotions, as if he himself was unaware of which to feel. Even as Kyle tried slashing at Chris, Chris noticed the look in Kyle's eyes. It was a mixture of absolute terror and rage. Chris believed that whatever was making Kyle attack, he was probably unaware of what was going on, kind of like he was sleeping or blacked out. Kyle stumbled on himself leaving himself open for Chris to grab him from behind and restrain him.

"Wake up kid! I don't want to have to hurt you." Just as Chris had finished saying this Sandra walked over and smacked Kyle across the face. At first the boy looked shocked, then looked around curiously.

"What is going on here? What happened?" Kyle asked confused.

"You attacked him." Sandra said. Kyle stopped struggling and stared disbelievingly at Sandra.

"I don't remember attacking him, last thing I remember was the Heartless attacking. Nothing after that."

"You blacked out. You should learn to control that temper better or it might be the end of you." Kyle lowered his head in shame, he had been told many times he had a terrible temper, only now he had let it run so far as to attack an innocent. Kyle let his Keyblade disappear, and after doing so Chris let him go.

"Hey guys, after we check in to what's going on here you should stay away from me. I'm a walking target for danger. If the Heartless don't get you, I might fly off the handle again. Except next time I might actually hurt one of you." Chris only smiled lightly at Kyle.

"Hey kid, I don't care if you were evil incarnate, once I set out to help someone I stick by them. Danger is kind of part of our jobs you know? So get over it and let's be done with it." Kyle nodded. "Well then, if that's the end of it, then let's be on our way. Sandra, did you at least find out where a figurehead is?"

"Yes, his name is Ansem the Wise. He lives up there doing research on the Heartless." Sandra said pointing up to the castle. The hair on Kyle's neck began to raise in a creepy 'You're being watched' feeling. He looked around to see people staring out their windows and doors at the trio with wide eyes and smiles of approval.

"Come on, before they start coming out to talk." They raced down the street towards the castle, Kyle moving slightly faster than Chris and Sandra, due to the fact he was using magic to increase his speed. He turned his head back to look and saw people walking outside and following them with their eyes. Kyle's already sore legs began to feel like they were tearing themselves apart from the strain, but thankfully they arrived before he couldn't go any further. A man wearing a long white robe, long blonde beard and hair was waiting for them at the gate.

"Welcome travelers. I'm afraid we haven't received visitors for a long time, how might I be of service to you?" the man, assumed to be Ansem, asked.

"Actually we were wondering if by chance you had any others come through here recently, very recently actually. Maybe within the last few hours." Kyle asked.

"No, I'm sorry. You are the first to arrive here. Am I to assume that more will be arriving?" Ansem asked slightly nervous.

"No. I hear you're doing research on the Heartless. Might I ask what kind?" Ansem perked up a bit at the mention of his research.

"You don't seem like the scientific type, what is your interest?" Kyle materialized his Keyblade in front of himself.

"I have an _Avid_ interest with the Heartless." Ansem didn't hide his enthusiasm at all, he looked the Keyblade over quickly with his mouth agape.

"I study them, see if what they are doing is treatable. Mainly I have to reproduce what they do in order to understand it. What manner of blade is this? I have never seen one like it before." Kyle retreated his hand.

"If you keep reproducing what they do in order to study them, which I assume means you're either making more or making copies, you will never see another blade like this. Let alone your world which you will lose to them. And you're right there are ways to treat it, you can either retrieve their Heart from the darkness and find their Nobody and make them whole again, or you can destroy them, simple as that."

"I beg to differ though. I believe the I can completely undo it, if I only had the right data."

"In either case, for what I must do I need a place to stay and was wondering if maybe I might be able to find a place here in town." Kyle said.

"Nonsense, our guests don't sleep in the town, you can sleep inside the castle. I'll have a special dinner arranged, so please come in and let my apprentices show you the way to your rooms." Kyle, Chris, and Sandra nodded in unison and followed him up to the main chamber. It was a spacious arrangement, and almost immediately after they had even entered the chamber three kids had arrived grinning from ear to ear. Kyle didn't even have time to say goodbye to the other two. Sandra had been led by the hand down the opposite hall and Chris had chased down his escort. Kyle looked down and saw the kid that stood in front of him. He was a scrawny kid, but underneath his silver hair he could see a duo set of orange eyes. That surprised him, he had never heard of or seen that color before.

"Hey, what's your name kid?" Kyle asked kneeling down to the kids height.

"Xeahnort." the kid said smiling. "And I'm not a kid, I turn six tomorrow."


	3. Hero revised

"Oh, so you think you're a big kid then?" Kyle asked slightly teasing. The kid smiled and nodded.

"You bet, Master Ansem said so himself!" Other than he was kind of small for his age, Kyle could tell that this kid had more about him than met the eye. "I'm his best Apprentice, he says I could do better though." Kyle smiled wryly.

"Well then, I'll tell him you're doing good if you can show me my room as fast as you can." Xeanhort grabbed Kyle by the sleeve and practically dragged him there. It was a rather massive room, compared to his room back home. Even if he were to pull out the Keyblade he still wouldn't be able to touch the ceiling, maybe if he threw it though. It had it's own bathroom and queen sized bed, and what appeared to be an intercom just on the left of the door frame. He assumed it was used in case of either emergencies or in case you were giving out announcements.

"This is your room sir. It's the biggest room in the WHOLE castle. It's even bigger than Master Xeanhort's!" Kyle felt embarrassed, he didn't want to have the biggest room in the whole place, he wasn't that vain.

"You know, I didn't need a room quite this big." Kyle said shuffling his feet.

"Master Ansem told me to bring you to this one, I think he likes you a whole lot." Kyle thought about him showing Ansem his Keyblade, and then began to feel that maybe he had over done it a little. "Master Ansem never lets anyone stay in here, he says it's for something called the Honored guest I think."

"Oh, well then thank you. How long until dinner?" Kyle asked noticing that his stomach ached terribly. Rations just didn't quite hit the spot like they should.

"Maybe if we take the long way there we might get there right before it's ready." Xeanhort said squinting, trying to concentrate.

"I'm going to clean up real quick and then we can take the long way." Kyle said to Xeanhort. After Kyle showered and redressed into a navy blue silk shirt with dark-red flames, and black jean-like cargo pants. He slipped his necklace over his head, it was his dog-tags that hung his tags and some other charms. One including a crown that was next to his tags. He left his gloves in his room, he thought it might be considered rude to eat with them on, and he didn't see any fighting in the near future.

Xeanhort led him through the hallways at a good paced walk, making sure to point things out as they passed them. No matter how calm he was, or how nice this kid seemed, a nagging feeling that he was being watched kept up. It didn't feel like a dark presence, well, not particularly. It just felt like he was out of place and everything he passed knew this and watched him cautiously, waiting for their time to pounce.

It really didn't take them that long to reach the dining hall. Kyle guessed ten minutes at best. Xeanhort opened the overly large doors for Kyle, to expose an overwhelming smell of all sorts of exotic foods, one of which that he had a particular taste for: pineapples. The room was beyond anything he had ever seen before, reaching well over a hundred feet tall by maybe three hundred feet long. Paintings lined the walls, paintings of past inhabitants Kyle guessed, and some of the village as it progressed through time. Kyle noticed that he had been the last to arrive, Chris and Sandra already seated.

"Am I late?" Kyle asked.

"By no means. You are in fact rather early. Please take a seat, it seems we have much to discuss." Ansem said motioning to the open seat to his right. Kyle seated himself quietly and noted Xeanhort ran off as fast his his short legs could take him out of the dining hall. Kyle also noticed that both Sandra and Chris had cleaned up and changed for their dinner. Sandra was wearing a red shirt with black jeans. And Chris was wearing a green button-up shirt with a dark-red tie, although he wore a military-green cargo pants.

"So what shall we discuss?" Kyle asked, knowing all to well what it was going to be about. Ansem smiled and leaned forward in his chair.

"The matter of how you came to decide to come to this planet."

"It's not that hard really, our home, Reath, was attacked by the Heartless and we were forced to flee. I just thought that this might be the better of our choices, I mean because at least this planet has some knowledge of that fact of other worlds. So we didn't really have to come in incognito."

"Then I ask you again, are you sure that I shouldn't be wary for more people like yourselves to come along?" Kyle shook his head. "How could you be so sure? How many others survived the attack?" Chris and Kyle exchanged glances for a moment.

"We believe that less than a thousand lived the attack." Chris said.

"How can we be sure that the Heartless won't follow you here?"

"If they didn't pursue us into your space then they won't come after us. They might have found something they wanted on our home planet, because they didn't leave the surface."

"Besides, they seemed like they were searching for something. Those of us who stood to fight were only in the way." Kyle said.

"I'm sorry, forgive a man his curiosity, but how many would you say you destroyed on your own?" Kyle's jaw set at the question and Chris paused in his breath, watching Kyle carefully so he wouldn't lose his temper at the personal question.

"Then please forgive my choice of words: I may have killed more than you can ever hope to fathom. And please, don't ask such questions again... I have a personal stake in that sort of dealing." Ansem was obviously taken by surprise at this answer but seemed in no way offended.

"I am sorry. We have only recently discovered them ourselves, and my curiosity is known to be quite sardonic at times. They were discovered after a meteor shower over our oceans, so my curiosity is quite profound I must admit."

"That's how they get in. They come in with the meteors at first and stay relatively inactive until more arrive, then hell breaks loose. My advice, destroy however many are here now so when the Heartless arrive there will be less to deal with." Kyle explained.

"Well, how did you get in? Obviously not through a comet or some other means, you came in from space."

"Yes, well since Heartless have penetrated your atmosphere, most can come and go as they please now. Is there anything else you would wish to discuss? Our time here is limited and I'm in need of rest of food before we leave again." Ansem laughed.

"Yes, well in fact it there is one other thing. Seems that people that live in the city are terrified of the Heartless. It seems they became active just after you landed. I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

"You want us to destroy the Heartless so those who still live here can be safe?"

"Precisely. And if you wouldn't mind I would like to be a spectator, so I can gather some data on the Heartless." Kyle stood up, his eyes now focused, his face expressionless.

"Do as you please."

"Well my dear boy, I didn't mean right now…"

"I know. I might as well get it done sooner rather than later." Kyle walked briskly back to the door. "I need to go back to my room, if you want to watch meet me out front in fifteen minutes." Ansem looked rather shocked at Chris.

"Don't look at me, I understand that kid about as much as I understand the meaning of life. Come on Sandra, we don't want to miss out now do we?" Chris and Sandra stood and left to go wait for Kyle.

Kyle made it to his room relatively quickly and retrieved his gloves, making fists as he put them on.

_'More fighting. I just want to get this done with so I can think about something else. If I don't do it now then who knows what might happen later because I decided to put it off, I can't let another world fall like I did my own.'_ Kyle thought grudgingly to himself. He walked out the door to his room to see Xeanhort standing there with wondering eyes.

"Is it true? Are you really going to fight the Heartless?" Kyle shoved his anger down, the kid didn't need to exposed to such unneeded feelings.

"Yep, you should stay here though. It's going to be dangerous." Kyle said smugly. The kid stomped his foot and puffed out his chest.

"I can be dangerous too! I'm tough! I can help." Kyle laughed, he liked the kid. He had nerve at least.

"I'm sorry, but no. Hey, I'll tell you what, if you can lift my Keyblade I'll let you watch." Kyle said materializing his Keyblade and holding it in front of Xeanhort. He handed it to him, who immediately fell to his knees.

"It's heavy!" Xeanhort said. Kyle smile at him and picked it up and helped him up to his feet.

"All the easier to bonk the Heartless on the heads. If you keep some food warm for me till I get back, I'll teach you how to get stronger." Xeanhort smiled at this and nodded. "I'll be back in a little bit."

Kyle walked up solemnly to open castle gates, where Sandra, Chris, and Ansem stood waiting.

"Let's go." It took only a few minutes to walk to the main part of the city. People could be seen in their windows, staring out disbelievingly. Apparently they remembered the trio from before.

"So how do we get their attention?" Ansem asked. Kyle materialized the Keyblade, and almost as if on cue Heartless began to spring up around them.

"Stand back you three, let me handle this." Kyle walked forward unwaveringly. Most of his anger had simmered down and he was too tired to get an adrenaline rush. A Heartless jumped at Kyle with amazing speed, he barely avoided the attack, it's claws scraping his good pants. He grabbed it by it's wrist and twisted it around so it flipped into the air. To his right another raced for him. Still holding the Heartless, he threw it into the other. Kyle quickly lost count as to how many of them began leaping off the rooftops.

One of them had slashed his back while he was distracted, rending his shirt from behind. Pain fired up his back as its claws dug it's way into his back. Kyle flipped backwards and impaled his Keyblade into the crown of its head. Even after the Heartless had disappeared he left it impaled into the concrete and raced away from a pack of Heartless that pursued him. As one attempted to cut him off he stepped up onto it's knee and gave it a kick to the side of it's head, throwing it into the side of a building, destroying the Heartless immediately. Ansem watched enthusiastically at the ensuing battle. He had never seen anything like it.

Kyle felt for the power inside of his body, the magic that flowed through his veins. He felt a small glimmer, all that his exhausted body could bring up. For a moment his Keyblade, now a good Fifteen paces away, began to shake violently and give off a light of it's own. Kyle waved his hand towards his Keyblade, and it flew to him swiftly slashing through at least a dozen Heartless. Kyle then pointed the Keyblade to the sky, and when he did what few clouds had been in the slowly darkening sky had disappeared and the few stars that were out shone brightly. Chris noticed that Kyle was no longer on the ground, he was hovering slightly above it.

Kyle raced from one end of the line of Heartless to the other so quickly, it was almost impossible to keep up. A very audible thunder clap could be heard as he skidded to a halt. What few Heartless were left began to sink into the shadows, Kyle although pursued one and reached into the darkness. He withdrew a Heartless and dropped it. Producing a second Keyblade, in a scissor-like action cut it's head off. After which people began cheering from inside their houses, some had even come out into the street to yell their approval.

Both Keyblades disappeared and Kyle hit his knees. Chris ran over to help the kid back up to his feet.

"Where did you get the second one?" Chris asked amazed. Kyle smiled.

"I can only use it for a short time. It's very hard to wield both, very exacting."

"I'll bet." People walked right up to Kyle and began thanking him endlessly. Some patted him on the back, some wanted to shake his hand, others just to praise him face to face. After they had gotten back to Ansem, Sandra blocked the people so they could go back to the castle.

"I'll say, I think today you just became a hero to the people." Ansem said smiling.

"I don't want to be their hero or anyone's hero."

"Why not? Just bask in the glory of it my friend." Kyle twisted in Chris's hold just enough to look Ansem in the eyes.

"Because the minute I'm their hero I'm obligated to live up to their standards, and I can't live up to anyone's, not even my own." Kyle said. "Or else my planet would still be fine."


	4. Here now, gone later

Chris helped Kyle back into the castle, and once inside Kyle respectfully shrugged Chris off. Walking slowly back to his room, dragging his feet from exhaustion. Kyle didn't say a word as he left their view.

"He seems to have some battle going on inside of him." Ansem said to Chris.

"You have no idea."

Kyle made his way through the door to his room slowly. Suddenly a pang of pain fired through his chest. He fell to his hands and knees from the pain. It felt like his chest was tearing itself apart from the inside. His vision began tunneling, he could feel a blackout coming over him. He gripped his chest with both hands and forced himself to keep his mind.

_'What the hell is going on? What's happening?'_ Kyle thought to himself. As suddenly as the pain had come it left him. He fell to the floor panting, not caring if he fell asleep where he was. A knock came from the door, he managed to flip to his back and looked through the doorway. Xeanhort stood holding a plate of steaming food. He felt he had enough energy to stand once he saw there was pineapple on the plate. He sat up and sniffed the aroma in the air, it made his mouth water. Xeanhort handed him the plate of food. Kyle immediately went for the pineapple, it was grilled, and tasted like it had something on it. It was delicious though.

"What's on this? I haven't had anything like it before."

"We grilled it and glazed it with honey. It's our Kingdom's specialty, although the melon bread isn't bad either." Xeanhort said eyeing the bread on Kyle's plate. Kyle picked it up and tossed it to him. "Are you sure, sir? It looked like a hard fight." He noticed what he said after Kyle had caught it.

"I thought I told you not to watch. It's dangerous like you can't believe, I don't want you to get hurt." Kyle said concerned.

"I know, it's just I wanted to see how strong you are." Kyle eyed him.

"And what did you think?"

"You were scary. You smiled a little when you were fighting, it looked like you were having fun." Kyle paused, he didn't remember smiling. Had he though? He'd ask Chris later. "You said you'd teach me how to get stronger… um, will you?" Xeanhort had changed his tone midway through his statement. Kyle finished his Pineapple slice and stood up.

"I did promise didn't I?" Xeanhort smiled and nodded.

"Yeah." Kyle stretched, feeling somewhat better now that he had something inside him.

"Well then, do you know what P.T. is?" Xeanhort stopped and thought for a moment.

"In class it's called P.E., are they the same thing?"

"Sort of, P.E. is really called Physical Education. It teaches you how to keep your body fit. P.T. is called Physical Training, it's where you work out to get stronger." Xeanhort winced a little. P.E. was hard enough for him, but Kyle made it sound like P.T. was much harder. "Are you willing to do it?"

"Will that make me stronger?" he asked slowly.

"Depending on how dedicated you are. I won't go easy on you, it will be very hard for you." Xeanhort looked a little worried, but looked Kyle in the eyes.

"You bet."

"Great, we start in the morning. I want you to wake me up around five in the morning and if I were you I'd get something to eat and go to sleep quick."

"Five? That's almost… eight hours."

"And you'll get less sleep the longer you stand here." With that said Xeanhort took off down the hallway and down to the dining hall to get something to eat and then sleep. Kyle thought the kid may have some potential, if the Keyblade wielder planet hadn't been overrun in a year or so they might have taken him in for training. Maybe the wielders wouldn't die with him. Maybe.

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Five o'clock came too early for Xeanhort who had barely woken up in time to wake up Kyle. Kyle had briskly cleaned up, and dressed in a tan t-shirt and cargo pants. Under Kyle's request Xeanhort had led him into the courtyard.

"Can you do push-ups?" Kyle asked briskly. Xeanhort nodded. "Show me." Xeanhort cautiously got down and began doing horrible push-ups, it looked more like he was trying to imitate a worm. Kyle stopped him. "For one thing, those were pretty bad. Second those are going to wear you out faster and they won't help you, watch me." Kyle dropped and with a strait back, and eyes looking up away from the ground went up and down slowly as if to emphasize how it was done properly.

"You try now." Xeanhort tried again. Not the best Kyle had ever seen, but it was better. A lot better, but now he was going too fast. "Slow down, pace yourself. You won't get any stronger quicker if you do it fast. You'll just wear yourself out."

Thirty push-ups later Xeanhort fell face first into the dirt, and Kyle urged him to go on. He picked himself up and tried the best he could, and only would succeed in getting a couple more in. Kyle made him stand up, his arms almost felt like rubber bands.

"Follow me." Kyle took off for a run, with Xeanhort close behind. For a short kid, he sure could move. It was a mere jog, he knew if he went as fast as he could he would leave the kid in the dust, and that's not the point of what he was doing. Only a quarter of a mile had been done before Xeanhort had slowed down, holding the stitch in his side. His lungs felt like they had acid burning in them.

Kyle slowly stopped, letting Xeanhort catch his breath.

"When do you have classes, and more to the point, when do you have to go attend Ansem's tutoring?"

"Today is Saturday, I don't have classes today. Master Ansem's class doesn't start till noon." It was already around five-thirty. Plenty more time. Kyle looked around for a decent sized tree. He found one several yards away and hung from a branch.

"Can you do a pull up?" His arms still hurt, he wasn't sure if he WANTED to, but he knew he could.

"Yes sir."

"Good, grab a branch." Xeanhort grabbed a branch, and at Kyle's urging tried doing a pull up. His arms hurt from the exertion, he never was able to do one. But Kyle kept urging him on, to not give up. His chin barely rested on top of the branch as his arms gave out and he dropped to his feet.

"You know what, I have an idea." Kyle flicked his wrist and materialized the Keyblade. Xeanhort stood slightly stiff from both wonder and a little concern for what was to come.

"Relax." Kyle said as he drove the Keyblade into the stone path they had followed. Xeanhort stood amazed at the power. "I know you want the Keyblade, so I'll make you a deal. If you can pull this out of the ground I'll teach you how to call your own." Without a moments hesitation Xeanhort reached and tried pulling the Keyblade with as much effort as he could muster, but had about as much luck as the sun did at hiding it's light. Kyle laughed a little when he saw Xeanhort look at it with an angry yet focused stare. Immediately Kyle saw something materializing from the trees shadows. His Keyblade had summoned Heartless!

Kyle raced over to his blade and ripped it from the stone as easily as he had put it in. Ignoring the terrified look Xeanhort had he slashed the Heartless from existence. More began to form from the shadows.

"Xeanhort run!" Kyle said grabbing the kid to face him momentarily. He nodded and ran for the gate. The Heartless tried surrounding Xeanhort, but Kyle destroyed them without much effort. "You won't have the child!" A Heartless jumped on Kyle's back and began tearing at him. He screamed briefly and grabbed it with his free hand and impaled it on the tip of his blade. Xeanhort shut the giant door behind him. Two more charged Kyle, trying to flank him from behind and his front. He raced at the one in front of him, jumped and firmly planted his feet on the Heartless, using it to pounce on the one that tried to get him from behind.

He tackled the other one, slashing it in two before it had a chance to even touch the ground. He planted his Keyblade in the earth to stop him, then used it to shoot himself back at the other Heartless he had jumped off of. Passing over top of it he grabbed it, and with it still in hand impaled it on a tree branch. Another Heartless pounced at him from the tree and tackled him to the ground. He held up his Keyblade defensively, keeping the Heartless from touching him. He reached inside of himself and drew forth a small amount of power, and managing to kick the Heartless off, blasted it with a fireball when it was a safe enough distance away. Not seeing any more Heartless he dematerialized his Keyblade cautiously.

Chris and Sandra came running out to meet Kyle.

"Xeanhort said you were attacked again. Where are the Heartless?" Chris asked quickly.

"I dispatched them."

"Good, then are you alright?"

"Aside from a little bit of a scare there, yeah I'm fine. How's the kid?"

"About the same as you. Could hardly shut him up though, kept saying you were 'Too strong to need help'. What bull have you been feeding him?" Kyle only smiled smugly.

"Just P.T., everything else the kid talks about his own opinion. If you ask me though, we might want to think about leaving this place."

"What for? We just got here."

"For the fact that we should look into where all the Heartless are coming from. A point of origin so that we can try to plug the hole that they are leaking through. Maybe find the Heartless responsible for opening the hole in the first place." Chris nodded, agreeing with the fact that it might be a good idea to at least slow down their numbers.

"So then 'Boss', when do we leave?" Chris asked sarcastically.

"Three hours. Please notify Ansem, I will try to get the supplies. I don't think the townspeople will think badly if I ask for their assistance in this matter." Kyle said.

"Sure thing." Chris and Sandra walked back inside. Kyle stood for a moment, catching up with himself, thinking things through as to how to go about doing this. In the middle of a thought Kyle felt a tug at his sleeve, when he looked down it was Xeanhort along with quite a few other kids around his age.

"Are you really leaving?" Xeanhort asked.

"Yes, maybe not forever though. I will try to come back." Kyle said kneeling to the children's height.

"You promise?" Xeanhort asked. Kyle smiled.

"You bet I promise. Here, take this." Kyle removed a charm that he had on his pocket. It was his 'good luck' charm. It was a mock symbol of the Keyblade. "I'll be coming back for that." Xeanhort almost looked like he was going to cry, but he wasn't going to let himself, not today. "Hey, I want you to keep trying to get stronger okay? I want you to be really strong when I get back, and try teaching these other guys how to be strong to okay? You have to be their leader." Xeanhort nodded a little.

"Good, then get going inside to Master Ansem, see if he has any chores for you or something." The kids quietly trudged back inside. Kyle felt a little guilty for having to leave this place. He hadn't been here even twenty-four hours and he already had to leave. Kyle stood up and walked to the city.

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It was just as he had expected, the people had been more than willing to part with food, munny, and some of their other belongings that they would need. Kyle didn't even need to ask for them to help load the stuff in, they had graciously helped load it in, and organize it. The ship was ready ahead of schedule, instead of three hours it was barely over an hour when the ship was loaded and ready. Kyle went into the ship and used the computer to send the message that they were ready. Kyle waited outside the ship, and saw Chris and Sandra walking up, talking with Ansem. Kyle really had no reason to talk with him, he found him to be a tedious man who wanted to drone on about things that didn't need talking about.

"So off on an adventure are we?"

"Adventure? No, duty calls and I must answer it." Ansem nodded as if understanding what he meant, but Kyle doubted very much that he did.

"Will I ever be able to expect to see you again?"

"Yeah, we should be back a while from now, but please keep your doors open." Kyle said flatly.

"I can do that, and please if you ever need a place to stay and you're in the area feel free to stop by." Kyle nodded and walked into the cockpit and seated himself behind the pilot's seat. Chris seated himself and strapped down, Sandra following suit. With a final wave to Ansem Chris started the engines, and they immediately fired to life and lifted the vessel off the ground. Within moments they were out of the planet's atmosphere and were again on their way.

"Well that was an interesting pit-stop. I just hope Ansem knows what he's doing with his experiments." Chris said.

"He doesn't even have a clue. His experiments are just as dangerous as whatever happened to my planet. Maybe worse." Kyle said.

"So where to Mr. Wielder?" Kyle stood up to go to the small room he had.

"I think we should return to Traverse Town. Let's see if any evidence was left behind in the battle." Chris being slightly nervous about this, thought about trying to get him to go and search somewhere else, but the kid's mind was set on it. And there was no changing it once it was set.

"Okay then, only fools would go back." Chris said to Kyle as he plotted the course. "It's a good thing we're fools huh?"


	5. Twisted warrior

A few hours later Kyle stared out the window in his quarters and saw the Traverse Town come into view. A small amount of fear crept into him. He didn't know what was going to happen next, there didn't seem to be any activity outside the planet. Kyle walked to the bridge and seated himself behind Chris.

"How does it look Captain?" Kyle asked. Chris leaned back in his chair.

"Quiet at the moment. Nothing registers on the radar, so I'm guessing that the planet is empty right now. Whatever led those Heartless there, it must've led them away. But if I were you I'd still be careful, just because they aren't there now doesn't mean they won't come back." Kyle nodded, he knew this was valid advice.

"In either case I think you and Sandra should stay up here off the planet. That way at least you can either warn me when something does show up on radar or come to rescue me if something goes wrong."

"Agreed." Chris may have agreed what Kyle said, but that didn't mean that he liked the idea of being this close to the planet that was very recently overrun. "How long you going to be down there?"

"Five hours at most, I won't risk being on the planet any longer than that. After that if I still haven't found anything I'll try again tomorrow. Sound good?"

"As good as it's going to get, although I'd rather we find somewhere safer to search." Kyle knew the feeling. But nonetheless he had to go.

"Well, I'll be back before you know it." Kyle said stepping into the transporting room. Within an instant he was on the surface of the planet. He looked around himself, it almost seemed like a different planet entirely. No one was around, he couldn't even see animals. Just lifeless buildings without lights. A dead zone.

_'How does it look down there?'_ Kyle asked over the radio.

"Dead." That was as good a description as any. Overall it did look like someone had actually killed the planet and left it's husk floating in space.

_'Nice, well find what made it dead so we can hurry up an leave this place.'_ Chris said.

"Will do. I'll contact you when I find something." Kyle walked over to what used to be a convenience store and peered in through a window. He couldn't see anything besides a few shelves of food, some cigarettes scattered across the floor, and some random junk that had been thrown around. There had definitely been a struggle here. Kyle moved on to go to the section Zero, to try to restore power. He opened the huge doors with ease and began searching for the main power conduit for the city. It didn't take him long, they were after all large exposed wires. They seemed fine enough, undamaged in any way. It was the switch, it was broken.

The switch looked like someone tore it off, or at least tried to. It stayed partially on due to the weld that held it to the machine. This might take a while to fix, longer than he had. So he withdrew his Keyblade and jammed it into where the switch was held. He hefted the machine back to life with it. Slowly he could hear machines beginning to thrum back to life as power was restored. He dematerialized the Keyblade quickly, so as to avoid a possible attraction of Heartless. He made his way back to the main part of the city, where a building caught his eye. It was nothing special really, but he thought he saw something moving inside of it.

_'Hey Kyle, we just got some movement on the radar coming in from a building about thirty feet ahead of you'_ Chris said.

"I know, I thought I saw something, I'm going to check it out. Keep an eye on the radar." Kyle silently made his way over to the building. He crept to the door and slowly began turning the handle so as to be as quiet as possible. After the handle was turned and the latch was open, he burst in. He saw a man laying on his back holding a large wound on his stomach.

"Chris get Sandra down here we need a medical kit."

_'On it.'_ Kyle ran to the man's side.

"Sir, can you hear me?" Kyle asked.

"Yes." the man said weakly. Kyle removed his hand so as to examine the wound, it was not claws or bites like a Heartless would leave, it was different.

"These aren't Heartless wounds, these are blade wounds. Who did this to you?" Kyle reapplied pressure to the wound. Sandra came running through the door with the medical kit already half-open and grabbing items out of it.

"It was Syrus." Kyle's blood went cold at the name of Syrus.

"You're lying, Syrus wouldn't ever do anything like this. He couldn't, he is our greatest warrior."

"Now our greatest enemy." Kyle shook his head, he couldn't believe his ears. "He brought the Heartless to our planet and then fought with them, destroying the other wielders. He commands the Heartless, I fear we've lost him to the darkness."

"No, maybe you were seeing things. Are you sure Syrus was the one you saw?" the man nodded. "Why would he be doing this?"

"Because he thinks he has found a way to use the power of both halves. He's using both his Heartless and Nobody, he's using their powers. His power has grown beyond that even he thought possible. We can't stop him."

"Stop that, I don't believe you. He wouldn't do that, never. I demand that you tell me the truth." Kyle said shaking badly. The man looked Kyle in the eyes, and Kyle saw the truth behind them.

"If you don't want to believe me then go to his house, look on his computer. He left documents of his research. You'll find it, try not to have a panic attack when you see it." Kyle left the Sandra to try to patch the man up, and he raced up to the second district and went to where Syrus lived. He kicked the door in without hesitating and proceeded to tear the house apart looking for the computer. He found it in his bedroom. He turned it on and looked under his documents. There were hundreds of documents, how would he knew which one to read?

_'Forget it, I'll read them all. I don't care how long it takes me. It can't be true what that man said.'_ Kyle sat down and opened the first folder.

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Hours later Sandra paced inside the ship. The wounded man hadn't made it, he died shortly after Kyle left. The radar had been quiet for a long time. Kyle hadn't moved in over six hours. He was supposed to be back by now, and all attempts to contact him were received and then hastily answered by an angry comment, not all of them profanity free.

"How much longer?" Sandra asked.

"Be patient. He'll come back when he's good and ready."

"I hope that's soon."

"Me too."

Another seven hours passed and Kyle still hadn't moved. Chris assumed Kyle had fallen asleep reading those possibly boring reports. He was considering going down to the surface to see if the kid was at least okay. Before he could even stand up the little blip that represented Kyle was moving very quickly from where he was and back to the entrance to the town.

"Kyle, is everything okay?" Chris asked over the radio.

_'I thought I asked you to keep an eye on the radar.' _Kyle replied angrily.

"Why, what's wrong?"

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Kyle stood in the middle of the first district with his Keyblade drawn. He was surrounded by _dozens _of Heartless. They were slowly making their way to him, but these Heartless were different. They were like the original shadows, but they were taller, stronger, and faster. And more were coming.

"Talk later! Come get me!" Kyle said deflecting an attack. Curses could be heard over the radio, apparently aimed towards faulty equipment. Kyle dodged many of the attacks that were thrown at him, but one landed firmly across his leg, slowing him down. He was having trouble keeping pace with them, they were much faster than he was used to. He managed to grab one of the Heartless by the throat and used it as a shield to block most of the attacks, but eventually the Heartless ripped their way through their comrade. Kyle desperately slashed at them, hoping that by some chance he might get one of them. Eventually he was gaining some speed and needed fury to keep up and start spreading destruction.

Eventually fighting them was like fighting the shadows, only harder. They were smarter in their moves, moving as a unit instead of brainless individuals. Still they fell to his fury, unable to withstand the power of the Keyblade. As a Heartless in front of him evaporated into darkness he saw the figure he dreaded walking up to him. It was Syrus. The Heartless made a path for him that led strait to Kyle.

"You poor boy, you know so little about the true power of the Keyblade. Come with me and let me teach you what these self proclaimed Masters were too scared to teach." Syrus said his tone sly.

"Never, you destroyed our home, my home!" Kyle said. Kyle exerted some of his power to attempt an attack on Syrus. Kyle was moving faster than he ever had, thunder claps ensuing from his every footstep. Syrus dodged his attack faster than Kyle could move his eyes. Syrus grabbed Kyle by the back of his shirt and threw him into the side of the building, breaking through it. Kyle stood up as fast as he could, and as soon as he was on his feet Syrus was already face to face with him. Kyle slashed at Syrus, hoping to hit him, but once again Syrus dodged the attack effortlessly. This time Syrus drove his knee into Kyle's stomach and with a gauntleted fist, lunged at Kyle's chest and physically drove him through another wall, and then twenty yards more.

Kyle stood up and wiped the blood the trickled out from his mouth. And then forced himself to call on the other Keyblade. He stood there holding both Keyblades, staring grudgingly at Syrus who only laughed.

"Oh, now you're serious. I'm absolutely quivering with fear." Syrus said mockingly.

"You will be." Kyle said pressing the limits of his speed and strength. Even with two Keyblades Syrus was dodging the attacks, no matter how fast they were. Kyle faked a blow to the right but instead lunged to his left, catching Syrus off guard and in the ribcage. With all the speed and power he could muster he began to pound Syrus all over his body with furious blows. He finished with a quick blow to his head which sent him flying and hitting into a wall. Syrus slumped against the wall for a moment, seemingly in a daze. Syrus's head snapped up as he smiled at Kyle.

"Nice try kid, you'll have to do better." Kyle took a step back in fear. Syrus started walking towards him when Kyle's ship came from out of the clouds and quickly descended, all the while raining bullets on the unsuspecting enemies below. Many Heartless were too slow to dodge the hail of lead, but Syrus didn't even have to move. A grid seemed to form around him, Kyle took that to be his shield. He figured that is what made it so he couldn't hurt him when he landed those blows. The ship hovered just above the ground and the hatch opened. Kyle didn't have to be told, he ran strait for the opening door.

Kyle shut the door personally instead of letting the computer do it. He didn't want to take the chance of Syrus getting on board. Kyle seated himself when Chris looked back at him.

"Kid, you and Sandra get to the weapons and go to manual. There's a blockade out there." Kyle nodded and followed Sandra to the weapons bay where there were a few seats. He guessed they were for the pair of cannons and chain guns mounted outside.

"Which one works the cannon?" Sandra pointed to the far left one. He sat down, and a visor came out of the ceiling, along with something that resembled a wheel with two triggers on it.

"Hold on!" Chris yelled back to them. He could feel the ship jostling to break free of the gravity. Within moments his visor blinked to life, showing a huge number of enemy ships that waited for them. There had to be at least a hundred. "Let's do this!" The nearest enemy cruiser started firing on them. Chris nimbly dodged most of the attacks, but there were too many shots fired to dodge them all. The little attack ships flew around them like flies, Sandra pulled the triggers and Kyle could hear the chain guns kick to life. He turned his view to see ships exploding everywhere. Her aim was exact and frighteningly accurate.

In order to avoid most of the attacks Chris moved in close to one of the cruisers. Kyle aimed at the cruiser and began unleashing the large shells into the enemies hull. Small explosions erupted from where the shots connected. He wasn't doing them any good, the shells weren't doing enough damage.

"Chris, fly us over the command bridge!" Kyle yelled, still firing on the enemy ship.

"Why? We can get out through the hole in their line!"

"I know, but we need to make sure they won't follow us." Chris didn't say anything after that, he just veered in another direction. Sandra kept firing at the small ships, laying waste to all she saw.

"There is." Sandra said. Kyle could see it, jutting out more than the rest of the ship.

"Sandra, I need you to fire on the main enemy vessel. I need all fire concentrated on the command bridge to destroy it."

"Roger." She adjusted her aim to the command bridge as did he. They both began firing on the bridge as one.

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The Heartless worked maddeningly inside the ship. Fires had erupted everywhere and the small enemy vessel had veered right for their command. Before any of them inside could pretend to get the situation, a hail of bullets ripped through the hull and tore through Heartless and computer alike. A giant explosion shook the ship as the hull to the bridge was torn apart from cannon fire. Even more bullets pierced the hull and damaged important consoles, even piercing their captain Heartless dozens of times before he faded.

One final explosion tore through the hull completely, opening the top like a can of worms. And the last shot destroyed what was left of the inside, sealing the fate of those still inside.

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The explosion was immense. Larger than Kyle had thought it would be. Chris, noticing the obvious destruction of the command bridge, veered away into the empty space. As soon as they were free of the blockade Chris forced the ship into jump. Not a moment too soon either, the ship detonated just after they jumped.

Chris laid in a course that would take them three days to get back to Crystal Gardens. They couldn't afford to lead the enemy there. Chris made his way to the gun room, where Kyle hadn't decided to leave yet. He opened the door and looked at Kyle. He was beaten and bruised, what was worse the boy looked sick to his stomach.

"Do you mind explaining what just happened? That man just ripped you a new one in front of god and everyone."

"That was Syrus. He was the best wielder we had. He was a true hero, it was said that none of the other wielders could even come close to matching his strength."

"So what happened? The Heartless get to him?" Kyle shook his head slowly.

"No. He betrayed us for power, and he has power."

"Explain." Kyle drew in a ragged breath.

"He's using the powers of his Heartless and Nobody without being divided. He even managed to make a new Keyblade, the Twisted blade. It's made purely of darkness. There's no way I can take him on, he's too strong." Kyle retreated into his mind. Chris sat down hard to think, he knew they were in a pickle earlier, but now they were in trouble. They had to think of something, and fast.


	6. Passion

They were in the clear for the moment, though they continued through the jump-space. Kyle had retreated to his room and hadn't come out for any reason, even when Sandra had goaded him to. Chris thought that maybe the kid had finally flipped, how wrong he was about to see he was.

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Kyle tore through his compartments, looking for some very specific things. It was time to drop the kid act, it was time to get ready for a fight that was going to claim his life if he didn't get back up and ready to fight. He can't just run and lick his wounds, his mind was set on making Syrus pay.

He tied his boots as tight as he could, making it so his feet couldn't slip or slide inside. He took off his shirt he had before and put on a skin-tight gel padding underneath his long-sleeve shirt. It was thin and breathed very well so he wouldn't have to worry about overheating. He slipped a vest over the top of his shirt, making sure to count all the Mythril plates that were inside the vest. He grabbed his gloves and slipped them on quickly, and before leaving the room he grabbed a zip-up black leather jacket. After he opened the door to his room he put the jacket on without zipping it up. To him, it would have been awesome if it had a hood. Chris looked back shocked, almost like he was staring at a very dangerous stowaway.

Garbed in all black, one could have thought the boy had either gone gothic, or he was hiding something. Kyle seated himself behind Chris ignoring his stares.

"That's a new look." Chris noted out loud. Kyle looked at him for a moment before producing a pair of dark-red tinted glasses and slipped them on. "What's going on?"

"Things have advanced a few spaces in our little game, I'm just being prepared is all." Kyle said.

"Right. Did you even let Sandra take a look at you? You took quite a beating back there." Kyle turned his face away from Chris.

"I know. He didn't do anything serious, I'll heal." Chris wasn't going to press the matter but he was sure there had to be injuries that were more than minor. You don't go through a wall without breaking a bone, if nothing else bruises. If not the kid was tougher than steel.

"So then, do we head back to Crystal Gardens as planned?"

"No. Syrus is probably tracking us. We'd only be leading him back to them, and we can't be the reason their world falls to that madman."

"He's tracking us?" Chris snapped.

"Most likely."

"How can you be so calm if you just got beat that badly by him? You should be nervous at least." Kyle smiled and very suddenly laughed.

"You think I'm not TERRIFIED?" Kyle said taking the glove off on his right hand. He raised it to eye level and held it there. It shook like it was vibrating. Chris only stared, looking like he just got slapped. "I'm not an idiot Chris. Being the last wielder in the system I don't have the luxury of hiding with my tail between my legs. I don't get the luxury of doing nothing. Now that I know my enemy my force will be greater, and since I know his plan I can try to preemptively strike. Bring him down at the knees so to speak." Kyle slipped his glove back on and returned his hands to his lap.

Chris turned back to the consoles, his face getting hot. If he would have been in his position he would be running far from here, far from this system. Does that make him a coward? He thought it made him smart, but he also noted this kid wasn't weak. He had more stones than a mountain to face an enemy he knew he probably couldn't beat alone. For that, he admired him far more than words had even the right to try to explain. His loyalty had finally been won over by Kyle.

"So where to Captain?" Kyle asked. Kyle smiled to himself.

"You know the plan, where does our strike team attack first?" Chris said pulling up the module with the planets.

"The most likely next target would have to be Destiny Island." Kyle explained. "That should be our next target." Chris started pushing buttons and redirected their course. "How long?"

"Since we're already in jump, maybe a half-hour."

"Do you think he will try to speed up his plan? Knowing that you know about his plan?" Sandra asked, breaking her silence.

"No. He might just try to stay on schedule. He's obviously not impressed with me our you two, so he's probably not going to pay much attention to us. That's where we have the advantage." Chris nodded his agreement.

"Will defending Destiny Island throw a wrench in the works? Will it ruin his plan?"

"Why don't I just tell you his plan, it will explain a lot so we don't have to play twenty questions." Chris turned the ship on auto pilot and turned his chair around to face Kyle. Sandra seated herself across him. "He plans to attack the following planets: Twilight Town, the reason is because it's close to the darkness and he wants to eliminate the Sorcerer. Then by the way he describes it, Destiny Island. Mainly he wants it because it has a lot of people, a lot of potential Heartless. He also wants to attack Crystal Garden, and if he manages to get all of them his reign of terror will have only begun. In short to answer your question, no, it won't ruin his plan." Sandra leaned back in her chair to think on this.

"You are aware you're asking us to go to war right?" Sandra asked.

"Yes."

"And wars can take months, years, and who knows? We might not be able to stop him and we could be fighting to foil him for the rest of our lives."

"I'm in." Chris said. Kyle looked over to him, and they exchanged knowing glances. He felt a pang of regret towards him, the last person to throw their lot in with him like this died.

"I won't make either of you do it. If either of you ever want to quit just drop me off at Traverse Town and I'll get another ship. I won't ask you to fight till you die." Chris shrugged.

"The way I see it if we don't do this we're as good as dead anyway right? I'd rather face death than run from it, cause we all know it'll eventually get to us all." Kyle didn't like it, but he'd take it.

"How will I ever get my Heart back if I don't go with you? This might prove to benefit me as well." Kyle nodded.

"Well then, onwards." Chris said returning to the module and putting it back into manual.

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When they finally arrived the planet, Kyle had to make sure his eyes weren't being tricked. It didn't look like Syrus had arrived yet, that at least was a good sign.

"Where should we set her down?"

"On the mainland, maybe a mile or so out of town so we don't attract attention." It didn't take them long to break through the atmosphere. They managed to set it down outside of town without attracting any attention. They walked into town, Chris and Sandra looking like two weather-beaten drifters, and Kyle looked like some kind of soldier in his getup. They walked in town together, people staring at them as they passed.

"I think we should split up. We're attracting far too much attention just by being here, I think us walking together is making it worse." Chris said lowly. Sandra nodded in agreement.

"Alright. We'll split up for now, but I think we should contact each other if we spot something that out of place."

"And how would we know what is out of place?" Kyle thought about it for a moment.

"We'll notice strange symbols on the ground that he's going to use to transport them, they'll be Heartless symbols. Make a note of where they are and call me, only a Keyblade can get rid of them. And we have to be quick about it, no doubt he will try to send Heartless to counter us if he realizes we're shutting his gates." Chris and Sandra nodded in unison. They all went their separate ways, wandering around with all haste, trying to get a lay of the land quickly. Kyle was at a brisk jog, he wasn't really paying attention to where he was going, and as he rounded a corner of a local diner, he accidentally ran into a young woman, tripping in the process.

"I'm sorry!" Kyle said jumping back to his feet, thankful he had been wearing the gel-layer. The girl sat up rubbing her shoulder where Kyle had ran into her.

"Ouch! What are you wearing underneath that, a shirt made of steel?" she asked as Kyle helped her up. When she was once again eye level, he noticed her eyes were a deep blue. For a moment he felt something stir inside him. His stomach tensed in a knot and he was very quickly embarrassed further from running into her.

"Actually it's Mythril, but…" Kyle trailed off, unable to finish his statement. Her eyes widened in both wonder and awe.

"Mythril? That had to be so expensive, but why would you wear such a thing? Are you afraid of getting mugged?" she asked.

"Well, kind of…" _'She has no idea.'_ "But I'm sorry I ran into you. I should be more careful."

"Yeah you should, running into people with a shirt like that could do some real damage." she said laughing. Music to Kyle's ears. "My name's Marry, what's yours?" Kyle had to find himself before he could answer.

"Me? I'm Kyle." he cursed himself for stuttering while he spoke. She smiled. Kyle's mind wandered again, and he had to force himself to pay attention.

"Nice to meet you. Maybe I'll run into you some other time, and maybe not literally." As she walked off Kyle had lost total control of his mind. He was imagining all sorts of things, just daydreaming the way all sixteen year olds do. His mission finally broke through again and he was off to investigate further.

_'And maybe if I'm lucky, my search will lead me back to her.'_ Several hours later none of the three contacted any of the others, making Kyle nervous. It was starting to get dark out and Kyle still hadn't found a single thing. He figured that maybe the unfortunate thing is that maybe some of the symbols had been put in places he can't go, like houses or businesses. He hoped not.

"Sandra, Chris, found anything?" Kyle asked. They both gave their lengthy reports on places they had seen, but all it added up to was that no one had seen even one of the symbols. "Well it's getting dark, we should probably head back."

_'Roger.'_ Chris replied.

"Heading back to where?" a voice asked from behind. Kyle jumped slightly and turned around sharply. It was Marry.

"Our campsite actually, it's about a mile or so out of town." Kyle said shakily, thinking that she probably thought he was crazy. She looked a little concerned instead.

"A campsite, outside of town? You don't have a home or at least a Hotel?" she asked. Kyle shook his head.

"No munny." She walked a little closer to him and tapped his shirt, getting an audible clinking sound.

"Mugged?"

"Something like that."

"That explains a lot really. I could probably bring you over to my house, if there isn't a lot of you that is." Kyle thought about it for a moment, and decided it was probably best if they stayed inside the town just in case something happened.

"It's just me and two others, my friends Chris and Sandra. Won't your parents be upset if some complete strangers stay over?" Marry laughed.

"No, they won't. They aren't even coming back to town for another couple of weeks. The neighbors keep an eye on me, they make sure I don't get into trouble."

"You sure you want to do this for us?"

"Of course, I mean if you're so worried of getting mugged again that you're wearing a Mythril shirt, then it'd be best for you to be indoors, it'll help you stay sane." Kyle nodded in agreement. He also noted that he probably did look beat up, considering the armor he was wearing.

"Alright, I'll tell my friends to meet us here." Kyle told Chris and Sandra where to meet him, by the barber, or so it looked. "By the way, how did you find me? Were you following me?" She smiled slyly.

"I was keeping an eye on a Non-local." Kyle didn't get the difference. After the other two had joined them she led them back to her place. It was a decent sized home with four bedrooms and a bathroom. The kitchen was nicely sized, with a lot of cabinets, a microwave, an oven, and a fridge. Kyle didn't feel like looking through any of it, he'd feel like he was snooping, on the other hand Sandra had no problem opening the cabinets.

"So how long have you been traveling together?" Marry asked.

"Not long, less then a week."

"Really? How did you meet each other. I mean, you don't seem to be the type to be attracted to people like them." Kyle admitted that she was right, if they hadn't been there to save him, he probably would have passed them by, never talking or knowing them.

"It wasn't exactly under the best of circumstances, it was survival really."

"I'm going to guess they were already drifting around and they drove off your muggers. Am I close?" Kyle nodded. After all, that was as close as she was going to get. Either way, this world had no knowledge of the other worlds or the Heartless, they would all be seen as either crazy or thought they were lying. Either way it wouldn't get them any closer to their goal trying to spread a mass panic.

"About as close as it gets."

"So, where are you from?"

"A small town a long way from here." Kyle said, and when she smiled from his reply the knot returned to his gut. They talked back and forth for a while, around midnight Kyle tried breaking the conversation, but she kept bringing up new questions about him and what he does for a living. He explained it to an extent to let her make her own answer, he was surprised again when she made some connection between what he was saying and a government job called National Security. How odd, once again that's about as close a description as he was going to get without saying anything he shouldn't.

Even though he was tired, and could see she was too, she just seemed like a fountain that was spilling out questions, and the end of them was probably far off. He figured he wasn't going to get much, if any sleep. Even though he wanted to say something about the time, he couldn't bring himself to stop her. In fact, the anger he's used to feeling inside, the thing that usually drives him, was quelled. She made him feel like he hadn't in years, and could anyone blame him for not wanting to stop? Every question made him stay up another moment or so longer, and that was another moment he could spend with her.

The other two had gone to sleep long before he had even considered it. Although even when they were awake she seemed to take no interest in them, and in fact she seemed kind of down trodden when they'd answer a question for him. He didn't get what she found so interesting about him, quite in fact that bugged him a lot.

The first of the morning's light began to gently show through the windows of the house. Kyle guessed it to be almost seven in the morning.

"Oh, I kept you up all night. I'm sorry, I hope it won't make it harder to find what it is you're looking for." Kyle shook his head.

"No not really. In any case I probably wouldn't have slept much the way it is." Kyle lied. He didn't want her to be guilty.

"Maybe if you told me what you're looking for I might be able to help. As long as it isn't one of those 'If I told you I'd have to kill you' kind of things." Kyle laughed.

"No it's not. Actually I could use all the help I can get." Kyle grabbed a notepad that was laying on the coffee table and clicked the pen. He drew the symbol and showed it to her. Her face lit up a little.

"I've seen that symbol, some people were walking around with tattoo's of that symbol. It's been a rather popular since someone saw it." Kyle stood up urgently.

"Did they happen to say where it was?"

"Yeah, it was by Town Square."

"Is there anyone there right now?" She shook her head.

"It's New Years Eve, you'd be lucky to see one person today anywhere on that side of town. Their probably all gathered on the other side waiting to start the party." Kyle thanked his good fortune.

"I need you to do me a favor."

"Sure thing."

"I need you to lead me and my friends there, and then you need to go to the party." She laughed a little.

"As if I wouldn't anyways? It's a party that only comes once a year that lasts till morning, so why wouldn't I?" Kyle woke the others and met Marry on the front porch, once again thanking luck that he had run into her. Literally and not.

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It was only about a twenty minute walk from her place.

_'No wonder he had chosen this place, and to attack at midnight tonight. No resistance because everyone is somewhere else, and it's a wide area.'_ Kyle noted to himself.

"Hey, after we're done here I'll meet you at the party. Is that alright?" Kyle asked.

"I'll hold you to it." Kyle smiled as Marry walked off. Kyle saw Chris and Sandra staring at him.

"What gives?" Kyle asked.

"She likes you." Sandra said smiling.

"And you like her." Chris teased putting his arm around Kyle. Kyle laughed.

"What makes you think she likes me? Or even that I like her?"

"I may be a Nobody, but I'm still a girl I'll have you know." Kyle nodded, he had kind of overlooked that.

"And I might be old, but every guy no matter how old can spot that look from a million miles away. It hasn't changed since the dawn of man." Chris said. Kyle felt slightly exposed, he didn't know he was quite that easy to read. He prided his reputation as a hothead. "And besides it's only natural, she is pretty good looking." Kyle nodded and started to daydream when he forced his head back onto his shoulders instead of where the sun don't shine.

"Let's get this over with." Kyle said matter-of-factly.

"So, should we expect resistance when you attempt to get rid of the symbol?" Chris asked.

"Yes, a HEAVY resistance. He didn't leave it unguarded. He wasn't a fool, he was prepared for the worst."

"How heavy is Heavy?" Chris asked, emphasizing the second 'heavy'.

"We'll be lucky if we…"

"Okay kid you convinced me at lucky." Chris said sarcastically. Besides, if worst comes to worse, the C4 he always caries on his person could do some major damage. One way or another he'd make sure this planet wouldn't fall to this Syrus punk. They searched the area briefly before they found it. It wasn't that hard to find, it was huge. It was next to a statue of the founder of this city. The man was holding a fishing rod in one hand a key in the other. Below it was written:

'We give our respect to David Prowess, the father of the city. In his right hand he holds the Key to our future that he passed to us so we could prosper where thousands had tried and failed. In his left hand is a fishing rod, that he used to feed those who had followed him here. Peace be to those who stand here at his memorial, for he watches over the city still.'

Beneath it was written a quote stated by David:

'_If a man should ask of you for food and a home, you are left with three options. The first is that you can give him none and walk away to leave him to his fate. Second you can give him food and bring him to a shelter. Or third you can bring him into your home and feed him and help him. When he asks you why you have done more than he has asked for, merely smile and tell him that you can give him food and shelter all he needs, but only he can fill his belly with pride, and only he can find a home with a family.'_ Kyle really didn't understand the relevance of this quote, except that he was probably one of the best men this planet had ever seen. It was a desecration to have this symbol here, at this man's memorial.

Kyle looked around himself to see if anyone besides them was there. He materialized his Keyblade, and instantly the ground beneath them began to shake furiously, and the air howled with disapproval.

"It starts." Chris said. Sandra had drawn her blades and readied herself for the fight. Kyle gathered power in his blade, concentrating on removing the symbol.

"Keep them off of me." Kyle said straining. Chris and Sandra took defensive positions around Kyle. Shadows began to come alive, spewing out Heartless instead of leaking them like usual. Before they had proper time to assess the situation they had closed what little distance had laid between them. Sandra took notice that they were the same kind Kyle had encountered on Traverse Town. Chris was unleashing a hail of kicks and jabs at the Heartless. The power he exerted behind every hit was immense, like someone was hitting with anvils for hands.

Sandra was nimbly dodging attacks and destroying Heartless with every graceful swing of her blades. Kyle concentrated harder, trying to ignore the Heartless that surrounded them, knowing they weren't after Chris or Sandra, they wanted him. Chris grabbed the Heartless in front of him and threw it at a stop sign, breaking it. Seeing a potential weapon he raced over to it and hefted it into his powerful grip. Swinging it like an oversized ax he destroyed more and more that seemed to be ignoring him.

Kyle's concentration broke when one of the Heartless had leaped over the rest and was about to be right on top of him. He knew he should react, but he didn't want to risk losing the power and having to restart the process. It'd take too long. It was about to strike when Sandra caught it mid-air and beheaded it. After that she lunged herself back into the fray. It seemed like an eternity to Kyle, seeing the battle but being unable to participate. It felt wrong. He was gathering power too slowly, he didn't know how to gather it any faster. He had visions of the three of them getting pulled into the darkness, that being the end of their feeble resistance, he couldn't let it end that way. An image of Marry forced it way to the surface of his mind. Her sitting across the couch and smiling at one of his answers. He smiled slightly to himself, and Chris saw this briefly and noted Kyle's head was not completely in the game.

"Kyle!" As Chris yelled his name Kyle put two and two together, that if this planet fell, so did she, he hadn't even heard Chris yell his name.

That familiar anger flooded back to the surface tenfold, showing on his face. In an instant Kyle could feel energy passing through him and into the Keyblade at a faster rate, and more of it. Chris had no idea what just passed though that boy's mind, but whatever it was, he was _mad_. At the end of the Keyblade a large orb of pulsing light that was surging with energy formed and grew in size. A force seemed to be coming out from it, pushing everything away. It was a small push at first, but as the seconds drew onwards the force continued to grow in strength, until Chris had to use the sign just to stand up. Kyle's jacket was blown open and was waving madly in the wind, it almost like the boy was attempting to brave a tornado.

When Kyle had a hard time standing he gripped the Keyblade and turned it upside down and thrust it into the ground and through the symbol. The force did not relent, still growing in intensity. The symbol glowed with a strange light, but it refused to go away. Kyle's feet lifted from the ground as the force tried to push him away, but he held tight to the Keyblade. Sandra had both blades dug deep into the concrete to keep from being blasted away like the Heartless had been. Kyle knew the force now was not coming from the Keyblade, it was the symbol's natural defense against attackers. And he was most decidedly, an attacker. Even though Kyle was exerting all his power and strength into keeping hold of the blade and trying to remove the symbol at the same time, he doubted very much the symbol would be able two Keyblades.

He decided to tempt it and called the other to him. He was almost certain he was going to blow away and he'd have to start again, but as he forced the second one in the force exerted became greater at first, and then slowly began to weaken, as did he. He was determined not to let go, and so he didn't. Before his exhaustion became to great the force had gone and he was able to stand again. He removed both of the Keyblades and the symbol faded after it's light died, leaving behind two marks where the Keyblades had penetrated the concrete. Part one was complete, now they had to deal with the remaining Heartless that had returned and surrounded them again.

_'Curse the Keyblade, it causes so much harm by attracting these things.'_ Kyle thought to himself. Although he also knew it could do just as much good as it did harm. It Didn't take them long to take care of the Heartless. Kyle hadn't even had need of the armor this time, he had been quick enough to avoid the attacks made on him. At least he was prepared even if he hadn't needed it. They didn't even need directions to the party, it was outside and the chatter could probably be heard from space there were so many people here. Kyle looked around discretely, he didn't want to make it seem like he was looking for Marry, although he didn't know it, it was extremely obvious that he WAS looking for her.

"Hey stranger." Marry said once she had caught up with him. She noticed he looked worn down, like he had been in a fight or something. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine. How's the party?" She smiled.

"It's about to start. Would you like to join me?" Kyle nodded and smiled brightly.

"Hey Chris let's unwind here for the night. We can leave in the morning." Kyle said discretely to Chris. Chris nodded. The trio stayed at the party, talked with a few people and mentioned that they were only passing through and that they'd be gone soon. At hearing this most of the people around them joined in the conversation and offered for them to stay at least for the party. Kyle was having a good time, talking with Marry and getting to know her and asking her a million and one questions.

At first she seemed like she hated the attention, but she opened up to him quickly. Time was passing too quickly for Kyle, he took note that the sun had gone down what felt like moments ago. The local band who was playing for the party started off with a piano solo. Marry stopped talking and suddenly seemed to get real shy, Kyle had no idea why though, and he paid special attention to the song.

"_And you ask me what I want this year, and a child a would make this kind and clear, just a chance that maybe we'll find better days_." The song was enchanting, and before Kyle could consider what he was doing he took Marry by the hand and pulled her in close. He hadn't meant to, but he put his arms around her and started to dance slowly. She joined him without complaint, she seemed to enjoy it.

"I overheard that you were leaving in the morning, are you sure that you can't at least stay a while?" Marry asked, sounding very embarrassed. Kyle wished very greatly that he could.

"_So take these words, and say them out loud. Cause everyone is forgiven now, cause tonight's the world begins again_…"

"I'll come back after I'm done with what I'm doing. I promise."

"_I wish everyone was loved tonight, will someone stop this endless fight, so that we might just have better days_…"

"I'll hold you to it." She stared straight into his eyes and ran her fingers through his brown hair. It was thirty seconds to midnight, and the people began counting down. Marry began to close the distance between herself and Kyle when a very distraught Chris came running up, with another young man trailing him.

"Kyle!" Kyle looked up quickly. Chris grabbed the young man and lightly nudged him closer to Kyle. "Tell him what you told me."

"Well, I heard that you were looking for some weird symbol right?" Kyle nodded. "Well, there's one on that island over yonder if that means anything to you." the young man said pointing to the island in the distance. Kyle didn't realize it till now, he had no idea about the island. And it had just struck midnight. Something lit the Island up like an oversized light-bulb, and dread filled Kyle.

"No, no, no. We missed it." Kyle said lowly letting the dread stifle his voice. Sandra rejoined her companions and stared in wonder as it seemed that shadows jumped into the water and began to swim towards them.

"_Cause tonight's the night the world begins again._"


	7. An end to the pain?

Needless to say the party had a sudden end. Countless Heartless leapt from the water and onto the shore, only to begin attacking those they saw. Chaos was reigning the night, people screaming and running randomly. The band had taken up arms, being their guitars, microphone, and other such things to fight back. There was no way to ebb the chaos, there was too much panic. Kyle looked at Marry and fought the urge to run her back to her house, even though his place was on that island. Kyle shook his head to rid himself of the thought.

"Marry, how do you get to the island?" Kyle asked urgently. It took her a moment to answer.

"There's a boathouse not far from here. It's probably locked though." Marry said quietly and stuttering a few times.

_'Not for me it won't be.'_ Kyle thought.

"Marry, run back to your house and stay there. I'll come back for you, you can hold me to it." She stared for a minute with worried eyes then reached into her pocket and retrieved a small charm. It was a seashell that was inside petrified sap, most likely man-made.

"I want this back." she said as she ran off. Kyle looked at it for a moment.

"Let's go."

"I'm coming with you." the other boy said. Kyle shook his head.

"No, you're going home. What we're doing is dangerous, you might die."

"This is my HOME!" the boy yelled. Kyle knew that tone, he had used it with the others when he was determined to fight so they could escape. This boy was coming even if he had to fight them the whole way.

"Fine then, what's your name?"

"Jacob."

"We can introduce ourselves later, right now we have a job to do." Chris reminded. They ran towards the boathouse, follwoing Jacob. Marry had been right, the door was locked. Jacob tried jumping over it, but Kyle pulled away and let Chris kick the door in. The door flew in and hit the opposite wall, and making Jacob stare in awe.

"Are all National Security Agents as strong as you?" Jacob asked. Neither of them said a word as they found a boat they wouldn't have to row. It was large enough to fit the four, maybe a couple more if they needed to. Jacob sawa figure move above Kyle, and being startled moved back a few steps .

"Hey!" In a movement too quick for Jacob to see Kyle had materialized his Keybladeand destroyed the Heartless. Kyle turned to face the shocked Jacob. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you three aren't from around here. Doubtfully even this planet." Kyle figured he had no other choice than to defend himself from that Heartless. The masquerade was broken, he might as well let Jacob know the truth.

"I'll tell you on the way, get in." It didn't take Chris long to figure out how to control the boat. Kyle tried explaining as much as he could about their current situation, the Keyblade and everything else, unfortunately they were running low on time.

"Kyle, look." Chris said. Kyle looked around the boat. It didn't seem to be going through water, rather an ocean of Heartless. Kyle felt both a wave of fear and anger flow freely through him. They were almost to the island. Kyle saw the Symbol on the on the beach, glowing dimly now. He was glad he at least didn't have to waist time searching for it. There was another thing he wouldn't have to waist time searching for, Syrus was waiting for him. Dread overwhelmed Kyle, the color flushed from his face and his hands began to shake. Chris saw him to, as did Sandra, but they would not turn back. Kyle materialized his Keyblade, readying for for another match, though he did not believe he would win this one. Sandra readied herself as did Jacob. The best he could do was produce an emergency paddle from underneath the back seat. Sandra unimpressed with Jacob's choice of weaponry, sliced the top of the paddle off to give it a rough spear-ish shape. Jacob only shrugged, he still wouldn't be any good with it.

Kyle didn't wait for the boat to hit shore as he leapt from the front of the ship and charged Syrus. As Kyle came down with his Keyblade at a blinding speed, Syrus caught the blade with his right hand like he would catch a baseball.

"Come on now, you didn't actually think you could stop me that easily." Syrus saif smugly. Kyle tried twisting the blade to free it, but it didn't even budge. Syrus grinned again and tossed the Keyblade away from him and in the same movement grabbed Kyle by the neck. "I could break you like a twig boy, but I won't. Do you know why?" Obviously it was rhetorical, Kyle couldn't speak let alone hardly breathe. Syrus pulled him in close so their eyes met. "I won't yet because you may yet decide that fighting on the losing side is not where you want to be." Sandrs jumped over the side and raced towards Kyle, cutting down all the Heartless that was betweem them, but they threw themselves at her like living walls. Chris was having just as hard of a time, avoiding being grappled by these things. Jacob stayed close to the boat, jabbing at any of the Heartless that got too close. "You don't belong on that side. Surely you can feel it inside of you? The anger, the raw power you posess." Kyle glared at him darkly. "If looks could kill..."

Kyle didn't let him finish his sentence. He had used some of that so-called anger to kick off of Syrus's chest with both feet, sending Syrus stumbling backwards. After calling the blade back to him he wasted no time in attempting another aasault. Unfortunately Syrus recovered quickly and managed to dodge Kyle's attacks. With little effort Syrus grabbed Kyle and threw him into the little pond on the inside of the island, a good thirty feet away. Chris was still trying to keep the Heartless from overwhelming him, unable to focus on anything else. Sandra was still trying to get closer to Kyle, but the harder she tried the more the Heartless threw themselves into her way.

Jacob found an opening between the forces and as he noticed this he saw Kyle struggling to get up and away from the other man. He knew he had to help somehow, so he took aim with his good arm and threw the makeshift spear at the other man.

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Kyle was backing away, trying to stand but slipping each time. There was too much water and moss for him to.

"Kyle, stop fighting it. Let your power consume you." Syrus said. Kyle shook his head and glared at Syrus. "Stop resisting me-" Something pierced Syrus, whatever it was it was protruding from his chest. Syrus stared at it for a moment angrily, then gripped it with one hand and pulled it free. Syrus turned his back to Kyle and looked over to Jacob, holding the makeshift spear in his hand.

"Is this yours boy? Here, have it back!" Syrus threw it back at Jacob who didn't quite look like he knew how to react. It pierced his right shoulder, and stuck there firmly. Jacob fell to his knees in shock, and at first he looked horrified at first, then confused. It didn't hurt like he thought it would. Both Kyle and Syrus stared in disbelief as Jacob stood stood back up and removed the spear just as Syrus had. He felt different, he felt stronger, and he liked it. Jacob smiled.

"No thanks, you can have it." Jacob said. He threw it at him again, this time faster and stronger. Syrus only glared pulling up his shield to defend himself. The grid appeared in front of him once again, and as the spear collided with the shield and shattered. As the wooden shrapnel flew in different directions it revealed a Keyblade. Even so it bounced harmlessly off and landed only feet away from Jacob. Kyle took this moment to stand up and threw himself at Syrus, grabbing him from behind. Both Chris and Sandra started making a little progress towards Kyle. Syrus tried grabbing at Kyle who was agilely staying out of his grasp, and keeping a firm grip.

Jacob didn't know what he was doing, before he had truly registered what was happening he had retrieved the blade from the ground and attacked the Heartless the best he could. it was plain as day to all who were witnessing Jacob wielding the blade, he had neither combat experience or skill with it, but it was better than the makeshift spear. They were advancing on the beach, slowly but noticeably. Syrus managed to grab Kyle by the neck and threw him to the groundat his feet. Syrus waved his hand off to the side as if reaching for something at his side. He tugged like pulling a sword from it's sheath, and what formed in the solitude and chaos of the island would not be soon forgotten.

Darkness itself began weaving at first in his hand, then extended beyone the top. Like tendrils they weaved their tapestry of doom, at last settling on a final form. Syrus was holding the hilt of something that looked like a Keyblade, but it wasn't. It gave off an aura that seemed to reach out to Kyle, attacking him from the inside. Kyle could hear thousands of voices in his head screaming at him in unison, trying to overpower his will.

_'Kyle, use your true power! Let go of yourself, let nature happen, let your Heart return to Darkness!' _the voices yelled to him. As they did he could feel himself losing control, his body taking it's own action. He was moving slowly, jerkily, anyone who saw could have known that whatever was happening Kyle was fighting it.

"I dub this the Twisted Blade! Forget the old power of the Keyblade, this had far surpassed the magic of the Old Realm!" Syrus yelled, holding his mock-version of the Keyblade. It's form looked like a Keyblade, but it was jagged, pure Darkness. It was a Keyblade in form only. The aura was affecting Chris and Jacob as well, they had lost sight of reality. "Do you like it? It's not made like the usual Keyblade, it's made only of Darkness. It brings the Darkness in your Heart to the surface and increases it tenfold!" Jacob screamed and slashed the air with his Keyblade as beasts from his worst nightmares seemingly attacked him, when there really was none there. Chris yelled and screamed at people who weren't there, apparently having a flashback of a bad memory that he hadn't gotten past yet. Kyle could feel rage and fear rising to the surface and increasing beyond the limit that even he knew about. As his body animated itself, forcing him to move against his will, he began to feel that all the anger that he had inside himself was aimed at both the Heartless and Syrus.

_'Work with me, let's defeat Syrus and be done with it!' _Kyle screamed to himself in his mind, trying to contact whatever was driving him. Syrus noticed that Sandra was unaffected by the effects of the Twisted Blade, and merely laughed to himself. He was well aware that Nobodies would be unaffected by the Twisted Blade's aura, but they would succumb to it's horrible power. The Heartless that had surrounded her charged her with an alarming speed, and managed to pin her to the ground. Syrus stood over her and lifted the Twisted Blade with the intention of destroying Sandra, but a wicked thought occurred to him. With a cruel smile he turned to face Kyle who was still fighting himself.

"Kyle, you angry child, come over here for a moment." This time Kyle allowed himself to move closer to Syrus, but after he was within an arm's length he stood as still as a wall. "Kyle, you are angry that the Heartless killed everyone you knew right? And please, be honest." Kyle could feel that with how angry he was, he was easily under this man's spell and could not lie to him.

"Angry is an understatement. I HATE them all! I want to destroy them all!" Kyle said, his tone dripping with malice. He could hardly recognize his own voice, it didn't sound like him at all.

"What about the Nobodies? Aren't they partly responsible? After all, they are part of the Darkness as well aren't they?" Kyle could feel his face change expression. Sandra saw the look and thought it to be moe of a look of an enraged animal than an 18 year old man.

"It's all their fault! Just because they weren't there doesn't mean they're any less responsible! They all deserve to be destroyed for the death of my people." Kyle tried not to listen to himself speaking these words. They were the words of a man bent on genocide. Kyle didn't know who Syrus was trying to get to, him or Sandra, either way he was getting the desired result.

"She is one isn't she?" As Syrus said these words Kyle's blood ran cold, as he knew what he was getting at. "Why not start with her? I mean revenge is like a journey, it starts with the first kill." Kyle gripped his Keyblade tighter as he realized what he was about to do. Kyle knew that Syrus was goading him to kill an ally, a friend. Kyle lifted the Keyblade over his head as he prepared to bring it down on top of Sandra. Sandra's expression shifted to confused as a single frustrated tear managed to escape Kyle's enraged features. He fought desperately not to kill Sandra, thinking of some way to subdue himself.

_'It wasn't her fault! She had nothing to do with it, if it wasn't for her I'd be dead right now! It's Syrus's fault, he's the one that commanded the Heartless to attack our home! He killed my friends and family, it's his fault!' _Sandra caught Kyle's eyes shift in Syrus's direction, and frustration cloud his eyes as the tears poured forth.

"Do it now!"

"I'm not your TOOL!" Kyle yelled bringing his blade down on Syrus's left shoulder, severing it. Chris and Jacob were immediately released from the grip of the Twisted Blade, and saw Kyle pursue Syrus. In the shock of the moment Syrus tried back-stepping slightly, only for Kyle to materialize his second Keyblade and strike him with devastating blows. They all watched in awe and horror as a weeping Kyle continued to strike Syrus, leaving gashes in him that spewed darkness. In his rage Kyle severed Syrus's other arm at the elbow. Defeated and broken Syrus fell to the ground, and still Kyle pursued him. Both of Kyle's Keyblades dematerialized as his eyes glowed darkness was irradiated off his body like and Jacob could not move, their horror replaced by pity for Kyle, and Sandra had finally destroyed the Heartless that held her in place. Kyle had gotten on top of Syrus and used claws made of darkness to slash at him. After a minute of this Kyle put his hands on Syrus's chest, and there was an explosion that engulfed both of them. Fearing for Kyle's life Chris, Jacob, and Sandra ran over to Kyle. When the dust settled enough for them to see Kyle was on his hands and knees alone, any trace of Syrus apparently erased. A scream of pain erupted from Kyle, he had never felt so much pain in his life. Though the pain was not physical, it was purely inside of him. He had shoved it all to the side, trying to be stoic about it, unknowing he was hurting this bad.

Kyle gripped at the charred earth below himself, trying to find some release from it. No longer would the pain allow itself to be shoved away, every face that he recalled ripping into him. He didn't even take notice when Chris and Jacob lifted him to his feet, and put his arms behind their heads so they could walk him back to the boat. The explosion had destroyed the Symbol as well. The whole way back no one spoke, every so often they would look to Kyle hoping for some improvement, only to recieve a haunted look. They could only hope that the grief hadn't broken his will and mind along with it.

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Marry left her house and raced down the barren streets. All sign of the creatures gone. She had made her way to the waterfront to see if she could see anything from there. There was an explosion, the force was great enough she felt the wind whip by. Worry for Kyle's safety made a home inside her. Moments later a haunting scream penetrated the night air, chilling Marry to the bone. It took only a second for her to notice the scream had come from Kyle, and whether or not from injury she was unsure. Within moments she could see a boat coming in the distance. Out of worry she raced to the boathouse.

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Chris and Jacob helped Kyle off the boat while Sandra tied it back to the dock inside. The three saw Marry running towards them, and Kyle looked up with weary eyes. Immediately he shrugged Chris and Jacob off and limped his way to Marry, unknowing tears were still pouring down his cheeks. When Marry saw Kyle, she was shocked. He had a profound limp and looked like he had been through hell. She saw the tears glistening on his cheeks, and could feel the pain coming from him even at the distance they were at. Kyle stumbled and was back on his hands and knees, and tried forcing himself back up to his feet, but he couldn't find the strength to do it. Marry ran the rest of the way to Kyle and got down in front of him and helped him off his hands so he could face her. His eyes showed immense pain, both physical and emotional.

"Marry..." Kyle said, almost as if he was pleading. She wrapped her arms around Kyle and embraced him, doing all she could to comfort him. None of them spoke for a long while, until the silence was broken by people pouring out into the streets and began chattering.

"I'll deal with them." Jacob said running to meet the throng of people. Jacob explained that they had defeated the monsters and their leader. He even told them that Kyle had single-handedly destroyed their leader. Cheers erupted from the people as they made their way to Kyle. Chris, Jacob, and Sandra tried stopping them, telling them to let him be for a time. But they all turned to view him, both Kyle and Marry were gone. They had slipped off silently at some point. Even though the crowd was disappointed that Kyle was gone, they had already begun fabricating their own version of the fight Kyle and the monster leader. With every new person that visualized it Kyle's legend grew to Mythological bounds. The final stretch was the monster leader, (the one the supposedly had three heads and teeth like spears), and Kyle fought an epic battle of wills. Supposedly Kyle fought with the strength of thirty men and struck the monster so hard it shook the heavens, destroying the monster without sustaining so much as a scratch.

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Kyle sat across the bed from Marry, his back to her. His crying long since ended but the ache had not levied in the least. Marry had tried countless times to get Kyle to talk about it without success, so she would not press the matter any further.

"I killed him," Kyle said lowly. It shocked her a little to hear this, but she was glad he was at least talking. "I couldn't let him get away this time. I couldn't let him hurt more people, so I killed him." Kyle turned to face her. "Marry, it hurts..." Marry crawled the length of the bed and embraced him lightly. Kyle never had problems with killing a Heartless or a Nobody, but there was something different with taking a human life, something not made up of the Darkness. It tore at his soul. Syrus had been a living person that could make choices of his own, that had a soul, memories, and he just snuffed him out like a candle. He vowed to He vowed he would never take another human life.

"I don't care what you had to do out there, no matter what it was I'll be here." Marry said. A small light penetrated the darkness in Kyle's mind, and felt some form of comfort wash over him. He gently grabbed Marry and brought her close to him so he could see her eyes.

"Thank you..." Kyle said smiling weakly. Never before this moment did she truly realize just how charming Kyle really was, even when he looked like he had the crap beaten out of him. Kyle saw it coming, her eyes spoke her motivation and he would not stop her. Enthralled by his eyes she leaned in as close as she could to Kyle, who accepted the kiss graciously, like a starving man would accept food. After Kissing they laid very quietly next to each other, slipping off to sleep. Before Marry was asleep she made a note to herself mentally. Even though they had only known each other maybe two days now, she could feel a strong connection to Kyle, almost as if fate was binding them together. Sure it was normally too short for the average person to fall truly for another, but they were not normal people meeting under normal circumstances. She hoped he could stay longer than he said he could, and with a smile finally drifted off to sleep. Chris shut the door reverently, and being careful not to make any sounds, crept back down the stairs and went to sleep on the couch.

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Morning came too soon for anyone in the house. Marry had been the first one up, and had been very careful not to wake Kyle when she got out of bed. She saw Chris asleep on the couch, Sandra sleeping in a chair next to a window with her arms folded across her chest. Smiling she made her way to the kitchen and started making breakfast. The smell was alluring, and obviously waking the extremely hungry Chris, who walked into the kitchen with a bright smile.

"Smells wonderful, I don't suppose there's some for me to?" Chris asked, trying to stifle the sound of his stomach growling. She gigled when she heard it.

"Of course, what would you like?"

"Whatever is making that delicious smell if you don't mind." In minutes she had scrambled eggs made with sausage wrapped in bacon. She handed some to Chris who stared longingly at it.

"Will Kyle and Sanrda be joining us?"

"Sandra doesn't eat much, and I'm not sure about Kyle. I don't know if he's even up yet." Marry took this as an opportunity to leave the kitchen. Kyle was still sleeping, she didn't have the heart to wake him just yet. As she started to leave she heard Kyle shift.

"Is that breakfast I smell?" Kyle asked sleepily. She turned backto him and smiled.

"Yep, come down and get some." She said walking to his side. He looked at her and returned the smile.

"Alright. I don't mean to be a bother, but could you help me up?" Kyle asked. She reached down and grabbed him by the top of his vest and pulled him upwards. Kyle winced from the pain, but managed to get to his feet. They walked downstairs and Kyle seated himself at the table across from Chris.

"Did you have a good sleep?" Chris asked rhetorically. Kyle only smiled secretively to Marry. "That's good." After eating their fill and light conversation Chris stood up and strecthed. "Well young miss thank you for the hospitality, but I'm afraid we have to be going." Marry's heart sank. Kyle hesitated for a moment, then stood and faced Chris.

"Actually Chris, I wantto talk to you about that. You see..." Kyle started.

"Alright." Chris interupted. Kyle was taken off guard. "No need to explain, you're a big boy, you can make your own decisions. You don't need permission, just say it." Kyle nodded understandingly.

"Alright then, I'm staying here." Kyle pivoted to face the elated Marry. She smiled brightly and crossed what little space had been between them and grabbed Kyle's hand. "I'm sorry Chris, I'm just..."

"That's another thing you have to learn Kyle. After you make a decision you don't have to explain yourself to anyone. If you feel you need to, don't. You are old enough to take responisbility for your decisions. You understand?" Chris said interrupting Kyle again.

"Yes, but I..." Kyle stopped himself. The he smiled and reached out with his free hand. "Be safe Chris." Chris shook his hand and smiled broadly.

"Don't worry about me kid, just take care of yourself."

"Will do." With that Chris took his leave and saw Sandra standing by the door.

"Are you sure leaving him here isn't a bad idea?"

"He'll be okay, besides, he's a big kid, he can handle himself." Chris and Sandra left the house and halfway down the street were met by Jacob.

"Where you guys going?"

"We're leaving." Chris said. Jacob looked like he had somethiing to say, but was stopping himself. "Hey kid, we have an extra seat id you want to come with us. Besides we have a lot to explain to you." Jacob's face lit up.

"You bet I want to come."

"Come on then. We still have another quest to finish, don't we Sandra?" With that the three left the city and found the ship. With feeling of anxiety they left, leaving Kyle.

Six months passed without problems. Kyle found a place of his own and a good paying job working for Marry's dad. Things were moving along smoothly in Kyle's life, he had been spending as much time with Marry as possible, and working. People loved stopping by his workplace and making small talk with him. He had become the local hero of their small town. For the first time in a long time he didn't mind being a hero to someone, because all he had to do was be himself instead of a master of combat. His relationship with Marry was beginning to escalate, and he like where it was headed.

He had been off of work only an hour or so when someone rang the doorbell. He hoped it was Marry, even though he probably stank a little he wouldn't mind a little company. He opened the door smiling, to see to familiar faces he hadn't seen in a while. Jacob and a woman that looked like Sandra, but she had noticeably changed. They were quiet and solemn looking.

"Hey, it's nice to see you guys! It's been a while. Where's Chris? Is he here with you guys or did he stay with the ship?" Kyle asked trying to look over their shoulders. Their eyes met his, and a sense of disquiet erupted from them. Kyle's smile was fading fast, but had not completely gone. "What's up?

"It's Chris." Jacob said. Kyle stopped smiling as the girl who looked like Sandra started crying and Jacob's tone seethed with vengence. "He's dead."


	8. Boldness of the Young

Kyle let them in, his blood feeling like ice in his veins. He replayed what Jacob said in his head more than once, but couldn't seem to accept it.

"What happened? How'd he die?" Kyle asked, his voice sounding distant to himself. Sandra and Jacob seated themselves around the table he had in the kitchen. Sandra was still crying when Jacob drew in a calming breath.

"Maybe we should start off before he died, it might help explain some things." Jacob said. Kyle nodded his agreement. "Well, for the first three months after we left Chris, Sandra and I went to Traverse Town. I was attempting to hone some skill with the Keyblade. After that we felt that I was more ready for what was to come, so we went in search of Sandra's Heart. It wasn't long before we found a lead..."

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Jacob waited impatiently in the seat behind Chris. He had always hated long drives anyhow.

"So where are we going?" Jacob asked.

"Ansem said he may have way to help us locate Sandra's Heart." Jacob nodded knowingly, when in reality he had no idea what Chris was on about. He still wasn't sure he completely understood the whole Hearts, Heartless, Nobody, and Keyblade business. "Besides we need to see if there is something we can find on the other wielders. They may have left the system, but we need to know if they left a trail so that others might follow them."

"Sounds reasonable enough. How much longer is it going to be?" Jacob asked.

"We should be there within the hour." Chris said. Jacob leaned back in the chair. He wished they could be there already, the sooner they found out where Sandra's Heart was, the sooner he could test out his new strength.

"Well I don't suppose we could get there any faster?" Jacob asked, trying not to sound impatient.

"If we went any faster and we had to stop suddenly, your face would have to be scraped off the controls with a washcloth." Chris replied. Jacob shuddered as he imagined what that would look like.

_'Nice going Chris. I'm going to have nightmares for a week now.'_ Jacob thought to himself.

"But don't worry kid, your seatbelt should hold most of you back." Jacob didn't like the idea that only MOST of him wouldn't go careening on a death-driven rampage for the consoles. What would happen to to the part that didn't? He didn't want to think of it. "So if you really are in that much of a hurry, sure we can speed it up."

"No, it's okay. I was just wondering."

"What are you in such a hurry for anyhow? You itching to go home?"

"No, not in the least. Honestly I just want to test myself on something." Jacob said.

"Careful kid, if you rush yourself into any fight head-on before you KNOW you're ready it's a sure way to get yourself killed. Better if we try and avoid unneccessary fights until then." Chris was meaning to sound like he was looking out for the kid, but Jacob took it in the opposite direction. He felt Chris didn't trust his abilities yet. Jacob didn't say anything, and when Chris noticed this he knew that Jacob hadn't taken it the right way. The silence had teenage-temper written all over it. Chris wasn't going to address this yet, he was just going to let the kid burn a little inside. Anger can be a great motivator when used correctly. He just hoped the kid wouldn't explode at the wrong time. Jacob laughedd abruptly, and startled the hell out of Chris.

"You know what? I don't care if other people don't trust in my abilities. I won't let that degrade me in the least, because as long as I know I can trust myself everything is right in my world." Chris smiled slightly to himself. Maybe this kid was more mature than he let on. Maybe. It took them a little longer than was expected to arrive at Crystal Gardens, but Jacob had kept his mouth shut despite his cabin-fever.

"This is Crystal Garden?" Jacob asked practically pressing his face on the window next to him.

"Yep. Remember what I told you before we left. If someone besides Ansem asks about Kyle or his whereabouts, either play dumb or lie. These people don't need to know, it's not right anyhow. It's personal information and without Kyle's permission we don't have the right to tell them anyhow. And if I find out you told someone something you shouldn't have, I'll be having you skewered on your keyblade and fed to some starving dogs, you got me?" Chris stared hard at Jacob, and somehow Jacob got the feeling Chris wasn't joking.

"No problem, playing dumb for a few days won't be that hard."

"Depending on how cooperative Ansem is feeling we might be here for longer than that. Besides we might need to pick up some supplies while we're here." Jacob groaned.

"Great, more waiting."

"Believe it kid. Better get used to it." They entered the planet's atmosphere and came into view of the city. Was it Jacob's imagination or were the people leaving their houses and going out into the street? They were either running in a frenzied panic or they were celebrating. Jacob couldn't tell which, either way he was a little perturbed, attention from lots of people wasn't really his thing. As they got closer Jacob caught notice of what looked like a landing pad, it looked brand new.

"Hey Chris, was that here last time?"

"No it's new. it might mean that we're more than welcome to visit anytime we wish." Chris landed relatively smoothly on the landing pad, it appeared that it was made of concrete. People came running up to the ship in one massive wave, making Jacob a little nervous. He hated crowds, even more so when they're focused on him. Even as Jacob, Chris and Sandra exited the ship the worry in the people's eyes were apparent. An older man came running up, but he stuck out from the rest. Nobility maybe?

"Ansem, what is it?" Chris asked quickly. After a moment or so of panting, Ansem finally got enough air to answer.

"It's my students. They've gone missing and we can't find them. Oh, fool that I am! I should have paid more attention to them." Ansem answered cursing his stupidity.

"Hold on, they left? Did they leave a note or something, anything to hint where they went?" Chris asked.

'_Great, a distraction. That's going to slow us down._' Jacob thought to himself irratatedly.

"They did leave a note, but it's impossible to know what it says." Ansem said reaching into his pocket and retrieved a note. Chris opened it and looked it over quickly, and then shook his head.

"I can't read it either." Chris said handing the note over to Jacob. Ansem then took notice it was Jacob and not Kyle standing there.

"And who is this? Where's Kyle?" Ansem asked curiously.

"The name's Jacob." Jacob replied. He looked at the note for a minute, and even though he couldn't read it he couldn't tear his eyes away from it. "I can't read it either. Sorry." Ansem sighed heavily.

"Don't worry Ansem, I'm sure they're just off doing something semi-productive."

"I hope so." Ansem replied wearily.

'_There is no way we're going to get anywhere with this going on. We need to look for them so we can get out of here._' Jacob thought anxiously. As if on cue a little girl came running up from down the street, her face soaked with tears.

_"_Ansem! Master Ansem!" the little girl screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Larxene! What's happened?" Ansem asked.

"Shadows hurt Demyx! Xeanhort is trying to fight them! Master Ansem, I'm scared!" Larxene cried.

"Heartless." Chris said. "Larxene, where are they?" She pointed outside the city.

"Inside a big cave! There's a lot of them, I don't want to go back!" Jacob tightened a fist. He could take a lot of things, but attacking children rated a number 1 in his top 10 of quick ways to get him angry.

"Chris, let's go."

"Right. We'll be back." Chris and Sandra took off at a run, but Jacob pushed himself to a sprint. He was focused on the goal: Saving the kids, and in his mind there was nothing else.

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Xeanhort stood fists raised to the Heartless that stood in front of him. He hurt from his bruises and cuts these Heartless gave him, most of all he was tired. He didn't know how much longer he could keep going. He could hear his friends behind him, breathing hard in shallow gasps. They were just as banged-up as he was, but he would not let the Heartless hurt his friends anymore. Hopefully Larxene would bring back help and they could all go home okay. The Heartless lunged a clawed hand at Xeanhort's chest, and tore his clothes more, leaving more small cuts on his chest.

_'What would Kyle do?'_ Xeanhort asked himself, trying to think quickly. A Heartless jumped on him from behind, making Xeanhort topple over and fall on his back. He landed on the Heartless, making it let go. He quickly jumped to his feet and did the first thing that came to mind: He tried stomping on it's head like a bug. It had a wierd feeling to it, like it was solid, but like he was stepping on a balloon also. A few good stomps later he was rewarded with a burst of dark mist. He shut his eyes and saw that he had actually done it, he had gotten that one. Pride swelled in his chest at his accomplishment, until he was knocked on the back of the head by another Heartless. He dizzily stumbled forward and caught himself on the wall. When the room stopped spinning he looked back and saw four more racing straight for him. Terrified, he straghtened up waiting for them.

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Jacob rounded the corner before either Chris or Sandra to the cave entrance. He stopped in the entrance staring at the kids that were inside. He counted eleven of them, standing in a circle with their backs to the center. They had their eyes shut and faces pointed to the ceiling, but there was another kid who was not part of the circle, he stood outside the circle staring at a Heartless that stood in front of him, as if transfixed. Chris and Sandra caught up and saw it too, and both seemed as confused as Jacob was.

"Xeanhort get away from it!" Chris yelled. The kid snapped out of it and the Heartless stood there still unmoving. Chris however taking no chances raced forward as fast as he could move and grabbed the Heartless and threw it towards Jacob, who swiftly materialized his Keyblade and slashed the Heartless. It exploded into darkness leaving a very stunned, yet very impressed Xeanhort standing in front of his friends, his attention solely on the Keyblade Jacob held.

"Wow! You have a Keyblade too?!" Xeanhort said racing at Jacob, catching him off guard.

"Uh... Yeah. Why you know Kyle?" Jacob asked.

"Yep! He was teaching me how to be strong so that I can have a Kayblade too!" Xeanhort said smiling. The other kids seemed to take notice that they weren't alone anymore and looked towards the entrance of the cave.

"Better question is why did you and the other kids come here? Isn't it dangerous?" Chris asked standing over Xeanhort. Xeanhort lowered his head to hide the shame on his face.

"Yes, it's dangerous. But we thought we were strong enough to fight the monsters. Maybe the smaller ones. We only wanted to help..." Xeanhort tried to keep from crying. He didn't want to admit it, but he and his friends had been wrong about that, and because of him they had almost been seriously hurt or killed. These monsters weren't playing around, and Xeanhort knew that now. And it scared him to the bone. Jacob and Chris smiled, they knew that feeling all too well.

"It's okay. No one is too hurt?" Chris asked. Xeanhort looked up and then to his friends who started walking slowly their way. "I don't think so. The monsters weren't too strong, there was just LOTS of them."

"Xeanhort, they were TOO strong for us!" One of the other boys Xeanhort's age yelled. Xeanhort's eyes lowered to the ground. One of the other boys raced over and put his arm accross Xeanhort's shoulders and smiled.

"Don't listen to Xaldin, you were amazing! You were the best Xeanhort! They were too much for us, but they were no match for you! You could've beaten them.. if they wouldn't have come in a HUGE group like that. Darn bullies." the other boy said smiling. Xeanhort smiled.

"Really Axel?" Xeanhort asked.

"Yep! And you better remember that!"

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Chris, Jacob and Sandra returned with the group of kids in tow behind. Ansem was in front of the crowd, now looking relieved that his Students weren't too harmed.

"Master Ansem!" the group of children yelled out in unison, rushing to him. They circled him like a dozen children to a single parent, and talked loudly in unison, each having something else to say. Ansem just stood and laughed as he caught bits and pieces of the tale of their journey. Out of all the stories, one thing never faultered between them all is that Xeanhort had saved them. Before the "Adults" had arrived he had fought them and even destroyed a few. This gave Ansem moments he could "Hmm," and "Astonishing," when the time called for it.

"Now, children, we must get to the bottom of this. First off whose confounded idea was it to leave in the first place?" Ansem asked, silencing them all at once. Xeanhort became stern and looked Ansem dead in his eyes.

"I did sir, and I'm sorry." Xeanhort said honetsly. Ansem looked at Xeanhort with a mix of displeasure but wonder at the same time. The other kids knew it was him that had gotten them into a mess, and they weren't mad in the least. Quite the contrary, they were PRAISING him for his efforts. Ansem did not know how to truly assertain what he was supposed to do in this matter. It was his fault they had caused a worry among the people, it was his fault that they had gotten into such a problem that they would need help, but on the opposite side of the scale he was the reason they were all still standing in front of him. Both sides were weighed heavily, and it was apparent on his face. Ansem relaxed and smiled.

"I think you've learned your lesson if I'm not mistaken. Having to fight off so many monsters must have scared you a lot, and you must be tired and sore already. Am I right?"

"Yes Master." Xeanhort said, not getting where Ansem was going with this.

"As long as you promise never to do something like that again I won't punish you." Ansem said.

"I promise!"

"Now that is out of the way, mind explaining why you three are back? Without Kyle nonetheless?" Ansem asked. Chris smiled, this was going to be a long talk.


	9. Kingdom at War: Part 1

"So, Syrus is dead then? Are you sure?" Ansem asked, looking grim.

"Of course. He was strong but he picked on the wrong kid. He was too arogant any way, sooner or later someone was going to put him in his place." Chris relpied. Ansme chuckled.

"If I was in your place I would not be so bold as to say that for fear that there was even a chance he wasn't gone." Ansem said, earning a chuckle from Chris.

"In either case, the matter at hand Ansem. You said you could help us locate Sandra's Heart?" Chris asked. Jacob's head bobbed, and he opened his eyes widely to keep from falling asleep.

"Ah yes! I was trying to tell you that I have the location of a certain man that can help." Ansem said, producing a small folder.

"Who is this man?" Jacob asked.

"His name is Yensid. He and I have been talking for quite some time. It started by accident actually, I was bored one day with my Master's theroies of other worlds, and decided that if there were other worlds they would get letters that I'd send them. I wrote a letter stating "To whom this may concern" and wrote the adress listing as "Anywhere", about a week later I recieved this note that specifically said: 'To whom that wrote me the letter, before we begin talking i would like you to know this is not just Anywhere as you so presume, and my name is Yensid. Before I say anymore please tell me your name.' It was such an odd way to make a friend. It was because of him that I started these experiments, he gave me the ideas."

"Sounds great. You sure he can help us?" Chris asked.

"More than I can. I can only give you a guess. And your guess is as good as mine." Ansem said shrugging. Ansem removed a document, and written on the top of it was 'Yensid's portfolio' It had his description along with his home planet. It was around a half a day's journey from there. It seemed easy enough, but Chris hated easy. It usually meant something bigger was getting ready to happen. In either case he hated to leave these people without some kind of protection so they could avoid another encounter with the Heartless. He wondered if he could leave Jacob there to keep them safe.

"Hey Jacob, it says it's another half-day journey from here." Chris said. Jacob groaned lowly to himself. "But, if you'd rather we can leave you here to guard the people here while Sandra and I talk to Yensid. How's that sound to you?" Jacob didn't think that long on it.

"I think I'll stay here for now. I don't think you two will need me just to go talk to another person. Besides the Heartless problem here is bugging me, and the last thing anyone needs is for someone to get hurt." Jacob said, rationalizing his decision. Chris smiled, he knew it was mainly because Jacob didn't want to get trapped on the ship for another day, but that was fine. "That is if that's okay with you Master Ansem."

"No problem at all! In fact it might make some of the other residents feel a little safer knowing that someone is protecting them." Ansem replied smiling.

"Hey, I'm just glad I can help." Jacob said. Before anyone could say another word, some kids laughing in the background could be heard. Chris and Jacob turned in their seats towards the main door and Ansem stood to get a better view. They didn't see anyone but the door swung quickly shut, and then there was a lot of kids 'Shushing' eachother on the other end of the door.

"Come on out, what is it you all want?" Ansem asked in a fatherly tone. The door opened slowly to show that all of Ansem students were in the door way.

"We just wanted to listen. When you talk with people it's always secretly and private, and we wanted to know." Demyx said, an honest note of curiosity in his voice. Ansem half-smiled, being partly amused.

"I know you all want to know, but the thing is we can't tell everyone everything we talk about. Some of the things we talk about could get some people in a lot of trouble if they knew." Ansem said, trying to warn the kids subtly.

"So you don't want us to get into trouble?" Demyx asked.

"Exactly. So if you heard anything, it's better to either forget you heard it or just don't talk about it to anyone okay?"

"Sure thing." Axel replied smiling, obviously confident in his ability of silence. The others nodded their quiet agreement.

"Thank you all, now what is it in particular that made you all so loud?" Ansem asked. Xeanhort stepped forward.

"We heard Jacob was staying, right? It's actually a question we had for him... that is if that's okay Master Ansem." Xeanhort said. Ansem looked over to Jacob who raised his eyebrows at the mention.

"Sure, what is it you want to know?" Jacob asked.

"Please don't get mad, but we were wondering if you were as strong as Kyle?" Xeanhort asked. The other kids winced a little bit when he asked his question. Jacob laughed, he didn't know why they would think he'd get mad at the question.

"I don't think so. He's stronger than me, for now at least. But I'm trying to get stronger. Kind of like you guys right?" Jacob asked. The kids nodded, but Xeanhort looked confused.

"I thought people like you, the really strong fighters were unstoppable or something... or that's what Kyle looked like anyhow." Xeanhort said. This time all of the adults laughed.

"We might look like we can't be beat, but we can be. A lot of our friends got beat a while ago by a very strong bad guy." Chris mentioned.

"Did you beat him?" One of the other kids asked.

"Yes, or rather Kyle beat him." Chris replied. Xeanhort smiled.

"I knew he could! Some day, I want to be just as strong as him and fight for the good guys!" Xeanhort said. But then remembered he had to be serious and looked over to Ansem. "That is if that's okay with you Master Ansem." Ansem laughed again.

"That's for you to decide little one. You have a long life ahead of you, and you might decide you want to do something else later."

"Speaking of which, we must be off." Chris said to Ansem, reaching out with his hand. Ansem took it and they shook hands.

"Remember to stop by sometime after this is all over. We have much to talk about my friend." Ansem said. Chris only nodded and looked over to Sandra. She stood up and started walking towards the main door, followed closely by Chris. Ansem sighed loudly. "You off-worlders astound me with your sense of duty. Most people would take what you three do as a chance at a vacation."

"Most people have that luxury. But since I am going to be stayting to help guard this planet, I must know about any city guards or patrols you might have protecting the city."

"Why would you need to know that? Are you expecting some kind of attack?" Ansem asked.

"No, not in particular. I'm just being careful. Besides, I might be able to help you guys where you might be short-handed." Ansem nodded in agreement. Another hand aboard might not be that bad.

"That's true, but the only problem is that I'm not the right guy to talk to about it. You might want to talk to the Captain of the Royal Guard, they control the protection." Ansem said. Jacob's brow creased.

"You mean you might not be short-handed, and they're not sending help down to protect the towns' people?" Jacob asked. Ansem nodded slightly.

"Yes. But please try to understand, they are having a hard time after the first Heartless raid. They tried to attack the Queen and King, tried turning them into Heartless themselves. Luckily we have intelligent staff or we would be down one pair of King and Queen." Ansem explained.

"So, if they had someone stronger that could protect the King and Queen they'd start sending people down to protect the city again?" Jacob asked. Ansem nodded.

"Yeah, most likely. They aren't too sure of it though, guess it depends on how strong you really are and how paranoid the Captain is." Jacob nodded, he knew how that was. Being paranoid and careful to protect those you care for is a fine line.

"Could you show me the way?" Jacob asked.

"Certainly."

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Jacob gazed in awe of the hugest structure he has ever seen. It was the Castle of Crystal Gardens. It was a magnificent dark-blue color surrounded by water that was so pure it glinted like gems. When Jacob was close enough he reached out and touched the Castle, and was surprised that it was as smooth as glass. They continued into the courtyard that was filled with roses, lilacs, and other exotic flowers that Jacob had never seen before. He could see people garbed in cloaks and armor passing by, occasionally stoppping and nodding to him or saying "Hi" to him. jacob took these people to be the Royal Guard. Jacob predicted the Captain would be inside with the King and Queen. Through another large door, and into the main hall.

A new life sprang before him. Other than just soldiers running around he saw other people, looking like chefs, maids, decorators, and all other sorts of people. It was like a bee hive, buzzing with energy. Jacob couldn't help but but stare at everything around him, it confused and confounded him, but it also made him awestruck. He had to stick close to Ansem, or risk getting lost. At the end of the hall though was three large chairs, in which only two were occupied. A man not much older than Jacob's dad sat in the middle chair, and to his right a woman slightly younger looking sat. He took these to be the King and Queen, being obvious because of the crowns that adorned their heads. The King looked at Jacob with open curiosity and whispered something to the Queen.

"My King and Queen, this is Jacob." Ansem said when they were close enough to hear. "He seeks an audience with the Captain, if he has no prior engagments."

"The Captain is on an errand. What buisiness do you have with him?" the King asked.

"I have heard that your Majesties were attacked by the Heartless, and wished to offer my services if it was possible." Jacob said, trying his best to sound respectful.

"Sure enough we have more Guards than we need, especially since the attack. The Captain refuses to let them go out and protect the people in the city after it. I don't think we have need of more soldiers inside the castle." the King replied.

"That's also why I'm here. I hope that if I can prove myself fit to protect your Majesties he might send some Guards down to protect the people. After all, if I may, it's the duty of the Guard to protect the citizens too right?" Jacob said, catching how he had worded the final statement. The King smiled, obviously not taking it as an offense.

"I agree, but be sure that you explain that to HIM differently, he has a short fuse and a hot temper that can outlast a siege. We apreciate your gesture, and would accept if the Captain had been here." The king replied with a smile.

"But while we wait why don't we get some drinks and you can tell us more about yourself?" the Queen suggested. The king nodded in aproval.

"I'm sorry, but I must be going your Majesties. My students await my return." Ansem said.

"Then you better leave, Master Ansem." The King said. Ansem dipped his head, and with a sharp turn he headed for the door. The Queem waved her hand for a butler, and was gladly recieved by one.

"Some Honeydew, please." the Queen asked nicely. The butler bowed and was off quickly down the hall.

"So, what is happening outside the castle?" the King asked. "Since the attack some months ago everything has been a blur of action and reaction, it's hard to keep track of everything."

"There have been some attacks of Heartless on the people, but nothing serious it seems." Jacob said, making the King chuckle. "Sir?"

"You're not from around here are you?" Jacob didn't say anything for a second, before smiling and nodding. "I can tell. Anything that happens around here it's serious, and all the residents know that. What are you doing here?" Jacob waited, trying to find the right words to say.

"You see, I was on my world for a while. Until the Heartless came to my world as well. My friends Chris, Sandra and Kyle had landed to try and stop them before they could cause any real damage. I tried assisting them and I'm afraid I wasn't much help then. Although my friend Kyle managed to put an end to Syrus. After that I left with the others and trained for a few months, I was trying to get stronger in my new abilities." Jacob explained. "And then we came here."

"What is your abilities might I ask?" Jacob was about to explain when a screaming man came running down the hall, causing a huge comotion. People stopped and stared as he passed, not exactly knowing what to do. After a couple of seconds he reached Jacob and the King.

"My liege, the Heartless are inside the castle! They're in the cellar!" Jacob pivoted harshly, grabbing the man by his shoulders, looking into the man's eyes with undiluted urgency.

"The cellar where is it?" Jacob asked, practically yelling it. The man stuttered a couple of times before Jacob just nudged him to the side. A guard looked towards Jacob, looking very stern.

"I can lead you there. You'll need a weapon though." the guard said. Jacob held his right hand out in front of him so they could all see, and materialized his Kayblade, earning some gasps from those who were looking.

"I don't go anywhere without it." Jacob said. "Now please lead me to the cellar." The guard nodded and raced down the hall, with Jacob in tow closesly behind.

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It took several minutes to reach the door to the cellar, Jacob hadn't thought the Castle was quite this big, on the main floor at least. The guard drew his weapon and opened the door cautiously, and when the door was only cracked open they could discern Heartless coming up from the cellar. Jacob was the first to bound through the door, and race down the stairs. Before he was even ten steps down the Heartless came rushing at him. He took care of them easily thank to the space being so confined, they couldn't react to his attacks. He continued down the stairs, this time at a much faster pace. Once he got to the bottom of the stairs he realized just how big the cellar really guard jumped down the rest of the stairs, landing beside Jacob. Heartless began to rise from the floor, quickly surrounding them and blocking their exit. Jacob stood back to back with the guard, who seemed totally calm due to their condition.

"We have no choice, let's get them." Jacob said, trying to sound as calm as he was nervous. The guard smiled.

"Yeah, we can take them." With little warning, Jacob and the Guard charged into the horde of Heartless that had surrounded them. Jacob wasn't as good as Kyle, his movements were more forced, his reactions slower and less effective. His heart beat intensely as more and more Heartless seemed to rise up to his challenge. One had raced forward and deftly ducked under his attack and clawed at his stomach. He felt the claws dig into his skin as pain seared. Anger flashed in his eyes as he lunged forward with his Keyblade and impaled the Heartless that had struck him, and before it had a chance to dissapate into darkness he removed the Keyblade and struck it again on it's kneck. The Guard seemed to be having an easier time. He dodged an attack from his right and with great speed and strength cleaved the Heartless into two peices. It hadn't taken too long to dispatch around a dozen of the Heartless, but even then an air of deception grew.

"Something doesn't feel right." Jacob said quietly, trying to look around himself. Screams pierced the silence, coming from top of the stairs. Without hesitation both Jacob and the Guard raced to the top of the stairs, only to be greated be chaos. People were running scared, Heartless that Jacob had never seen before were running wild destroying everything. The other guards had no chance, there was way too many of them. "You get the King and Queen to safety, I'll try to save as many people as possible."

"Zack." the guard said. Jacob turned back to him with a confused look. "My name, it's Zack."

"Jacob." They nodded quickly to eachother before departing. Jacob took a good look at the Heartless that were assailing the castle, and noticed how much they looked like men in armor. Although it wasn't hard to distinguish the difference between them and the guards. He threw himself into the middle of the fight, surrounding himself with the Heartless. With a great swing of his Keyblade he destroyed five, or was it six? He couldn't tell, all he knew was the feeling of his Keyblade ripping it's way through the Heartless. These Heartless were different than he had thought them to be, he thought that maybe they would be like the others that had attacked his home, but they were faster and stronger. One of them lunged forward with a lance-like arm, and managed to clip him on his shoulder. It stung some, but not enough to stop him. It retreated a few steps and then lunged again, but this time Jacob was ready. He grabbed it by it's arm and rammed it deeply within one of the other's, destroying both of them. He jumped onto the shoulders of another one that stood in front of him, and started jumping from Heartless to Heartless slashing at the tops of their heads.

Jacob could see that his actions were taking their toll on the enemies numbers, but at the same time he didn't know how many more there would be, he wondered if he was just wasting his time trying to distract the Heartless. As a small amount of dispaire clawed it's way to his heart, something came with it. It was a small glimmer of defience, he would not stop even if it killed him. He kept up with the Heartless, slowly making their numbers wain from the many dozens to a few scattered among the halls. He came accross one that stradled one of the servants' and was ready to scewer her. Jacob knew he wouldn't get there in time, so instead he gripped his Keyblade and aimed the best he could and threw it. Like an arrorw of destiny it flew strait and true to it's intended target, and destroyed it. Jacob reached the downed servant, and reached his hand out to help her up. She took his hand, and he was surprised how delicate she looked.

"Find some place safe to hide until this is over." Jacob said. She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I don't want to! I just want to find my parents!" the girl yelled. Jacob tried calming her down, but sufice to say handling a hysterical girl was not his field of expertice. Finally he gave up.

"Look, I'll bring you to them. Where are they do you think?" She pointed down the large hallway.

"Tha ballroom maybe, but I can't say for sure. They might be in trouble!" the girl said, sounding on the brink of crying. Jacob called his Keyblade back to him, and looked at the girl sternly.

"Listen, stay very close behind me. I'm not sure how many more there are." Jacob said. The girl nodded. Jacob turned around quickly and at a brisk jog started down the hall. About half way down the hall to the ballroom a few Heartless jumped in his way. They did little to stop him. The front one lunged at him but he swiftly dodged it and grabbed it by the back of it's armor and threw it at the others, knocking them over. He slashed them to pieces before they even hit the ground. "Come on, we have to keep moving." They continued down the hall, but it seemed like every other step was allerting more and more of the Heartless. The more that came the more he destroyed, until he could feel real fatigue setting in. It was about this time he remembered what Chris had told him on the ship, and realized what he really meant. He laughed to himself, because now that he thought about it, he agreed with him.

They were only a matter of feet away when the ground began to shake violently. Jacob found it hard to stand, let alone carry on at the speed he was going. Pieces of the ceiling were falling down and breaking, precious arts and suits of armor were falling over as well. The girl was stumbling, trying to keep her footing. Jacob saw the ground in front of him cave in revealing a large hole. A flaming, clawed hand grabbed the ground, and dug in for leverage. As it pulled itself up Jacob could feel the hair on the back of his kneck raise and cold flashes were rushing up and down his spine. Fear gripped him and he found it hard to believe what he was seeing.

It stood easily around eight feet tall and five wide. It had two clawed hands that were large enough to wrap around him entirely. It had a giant head the shape of a wolf with three rows of jagged teeth and an evil look in it's eyes. Flames danced wildly on it's skin, almost like it was alive. It let out a mighty roar that shook the very foundations of Jacob's soul. It lunged at him with one giant hand, and Jacob tried deflaecting it with his Keyblade. It did little good, his Keyblade bounced off it's skin like it was made of stone. It grabbed him with it's large hand and pulled him in close. Jacob struggled to try to get out of it's grip but he couldn't even get enough room to move a finger.

"Run! Get into the ballroom!" Jacob said, feeling the flames lick at his body. She stuttered something that Jacob couldn't understand and took off towards the ballroom. Something began happening to the beasts body, some of it's flames turned a midnight black and began to extend towards Jacob. The black flames enveloped Jacob, he couldn't see or breathe, it felt lile he was getting sucked into a void. A strange sense of calm pressed itself in him, trying to settle his nerves and relax him. But the more relaxed he felt the more he felt like he was in danger, and the sense of calm began to press on him even harder. The feeling of calm began to feel hostile, seconds later his hands and arms were freed from the terrible grip of the monster, although he could still feel it's vice-like grip on the rest of his body.

He felt around with his hands and touched the beast, confirming it still had him. He tried feeling for his Keyblade, he couldn't find it with his hands, so he called it to him. It gave off a blinding glow in the darkness that surrounded him and forced the sense of calm away. He lifted the Keyblade high above his head and with all the strength he had, he repeatedly bashed down on an invisible force that still held him. It loosened slightly but he realized hitting the hand was going to do him no good, so angrily he felt around with his free hand and found what felt like a muzzle. He dug his fingers deeply into the beast so as not to lose where it was. He let loose a volley of blows that would crush bones, and he earned a clawed slash across his back. He screamed loud, but the darkness muffled all the sound so that nothing could be heard. And finally with anger and fear driving him, he drove his Keyblade into the head of the beast. The darkness ripped away instantly and the beast flailed trying to get Jacob off. Jacob held tight with both hands to the Keyblade, refusing to be thrown off. Reaching out and grabbing tightly to the beast he removed the Keyblade and while it flailed throwing him into the air, he allowed himself to be thrown and adhusted the Keyblade in his hand. He was thrown high enough his feet touched the ceiling with the flat of his feet.

He bent his knees as the last of the force left, and he launched himself downwards. The beast reached out with a clawed hand trying to catch him in mid air. He landed his feet onto it's arm and used it like a ramp, running along it. He slashed the top of it's head as he passed, the downward force helping him drive his Keyblade through it's skull. He leapt from it's shoulder and spun around, thrusting his Keyblade into the top of the spine, and let gravity pull him down. When his feet touched the ground and removed the Keyblade. The beast didn't move, didn't make a sound. Jacob kicked the beast square in the back shoving it back down the hole. Seconds later the familiar explosion of darkness fired from the hole, letting Jacob know that he had done his job. He didn't stay there a second longer, he raced forward to the ballroom and opened the door. Several swords greeted him as he went through the door.

"It's okay it's me." Jacob said.

"He's fine, let him through." Zack said. Jacob walked towards Zack, dematerializing his Keyblade as he did.

"How's the King and Queen?" Jacob asked.

"They're fine. Thank you for saving the Princess, she had run off again and we couldn't find her." Zack said. Jacob looked stunned.

"I don't remember finding a Princess." Jacob replied. Zack laughed.

"She's the Princess." Zack said pointing at the girl from the hallway. "Her name is Kara." Jacob shook his head to clear it. "Did you get everyone inside here?"

"I'm not sure. I don't even know how many of these Heartless are left." Jacob replied honestly. "I destroyed a large one just outside the door." Zack smiled.

"In either case I'm happy you showed up when you did." Jacob's attention was caught when he heard shouting coming from the guards over by the door.

"Hold firm boys! Keep the Heartless from getting in!" one of the Guards had yelled. The Heartless on the other side were trying to bash the door in, but the Guards were keeping the door braced. Although Jacob knew that eventually the Guards would tire and the Heartless would get in.

"Is there some way the others can escape? Is there some other exit besides this one?" Jacob asked.

"Yes, there is one. But we don't have enough men to make a defensive retreat." Zack said.

"Go then. I'll stand guard here and make a stand so that you guys can escape. Just try to get some help up here when you can." Jacob said. Zack looked into Jacob's eyes and knew he wasn't joking.

"That's suicide. You might die." Zack said.

"I know. But I have to do something. Besides if I don't there is no chance of escape." Jacob said. Zack extended his hand to Jacob, who took it in a firm hold.

"I will come back." Zack promised.

"I know. Now get going!" Zack spun around and started issuing commands to blockade the door. Men started running around wildly grabbing whatever they could to block the door. When that was finished the King pressed a button that was on the throne, and the throne began sliding away to reveal a staircase. Zack withdrew his sword and tossed it to Jacob. Jacob held it firmly in his grasp. The rest of the men ran to Zack, who filed the people through the staircase. After they were all in it slid back into place. Jacob returned his attention to the door. It banged a couple more times before giving way. Jacob called his Keyblade back to his hand and braced himself for the onslaught.

They came at him in a massive wave. He charged them furiously, knowing that if he didn't it would mean the end of the people fleeing. He slashed at them with both blades, breaking through their guard. the first four fell without much effort, but the others were quicker to react to Jacob's attacks. One lunged at him and he barely dodged it but he managed to counter the attack by using both blades like a scissor and cut it's head off. They jumped at him and he deflected their attacks and slashed in turn. He quit counting how many fell by him, he just continued the insane battle. A light began to come to the surface inside of Jacob, and instictually grabbed onto it trying to use anything he could just to survive the fight.

Before he knew what was happening his entire body was glowing and a new strength overcame him. A tenseness filled his being and exploded sending some of the Heartless flying. He examined himself quickly and noticed that the Keyblade and Zack's had fused together to make a single blade. Smiling grimly he raced his downed foes and with a speed he didn't know he had dispatched them. Not stopping he continued fighting with a new found vigor. Before he knew what he was doing he had dispatched several more rows of enemies.

_'If this is their army, where's the leader?' _Jacob asked himself. He fought on, eventually making the battle pour back into the hallway. The Heartless backed away as if in fear, but Jacob raced at them faster than they could react. Those that were next to him tried feebly to fight back, but the other's fled away, or into portals made of darkness. He could feel himself tiring, so in a last attempt to rid more of them he unleashed all the power he could into a final attack.

With a blinding speed he raced through the lines of them, and behind himself he made ripples of dark eplsoions as he went. He came to a halt in the middle of a new line of Heartless who looked at him briefly before he flicked the Keyblade and spun around and slashed a Heartless and grabbed the one behind it in a firm grasp. He concentrated his will and what power he had into his hand, and watched in total disbelief. The air around him rose to a blistering temperture where he could feel the slabs of concrete he stood on heat up and some of the metal suits that were near him began to melt. Finally the energy exploded in a massive wave of heat and energy.

The explosion wormed it's way through the halls and the larger rooms of the Castle, eventually spouting fire out of every window and door in the Castle. And when the explosion had reached the outside it seemed to freeze, as if time itself had stopped. Then the fire retracted back into the Castle and back to it's epicenter. When the flames subsided Jacob was left standing in an empty hallway, breathing heavily, and burned badly. He laughed tiredly as he saw he was alone. He straightened up and walked to the main door to the Castle. After he opened the door he took another step before he collasped and blacked out. His final thought was a wonder, he thought that he was home again lying on the beach of destiny island with his friends.


	10. The true nature of a Hero

Jacob was consumed in light. It was brighter than the sun, but yet it didn't hurt his eyes. He felt like he was swimming, but he knew he wasn't in water. He reached his hand out in front of him and he could clearly see it. He could feel a breeze, but where was it coming from? He didn't know and he cared little. Something moved in the corner of his eye and he turned slowly to see what it was. It was a girl, he knew her. It was Sandra, but she was smiling.

"Sandra?" Jacob asked. She nodded. "Where am I?"

"I had to see you." Sandra said. Jacob laughed slightly, still feeling like he was dreaming.

"You see a lot of me. You coudn't have just waited till you got back?" Sandra shook her head.

"I've never seen you before. The OTHER one has." Jacob's mind was shot into overdrive.

"You're Sandra's Heart!" Sandra nodded, but quickly became solemn. "What's wrong?"

"Something terrible. If Sandra finds me she won't be able to become whole again." Jacob was taken aback, he had been told that she could if she found her Heart.

"Why not?" Jacob asked, sounding concerned. She gracefully went over to Jacob and stopped when she was just inches away.

"I'm the light in her Heart. I'm not strong enough anymore. I tried finding her for a long time, but I took too long. The darkness has taken over and now it's too strong. It hates her." Sandra's Heart said.

"Why?"

"It's like when a child gets lost following it's friend. The anger that comes from it really isn't anger more of fear and loss of hope than anything. And it would rather be mad then say it's scared."

"So how can she be whole again? Do we just fight it and get you out?" She smiled.

"No."

"Then how? Tell me how!" Jacob grabbed Sandra's shoulders. She only smiled.

"It's not that simple. You see, I can't be one with her anymore."

"But how is that? That can't be it, the end of the road! There has to be another way!"

"That's the reason why I was able to find you." Jacob looked at her confused. "Because you care for her. I'm aware of Chris and Kyle and how they feel about her, but you are different." Jacob went red. He did like Sandra, even though he felt bad for her he could look past it. When she looked like she felt a certain way he felt it too, he had gotten over pity a while ago.

"Maybe you're right."

"That's why I know I can trust you to do the right thing."

"The right thing? And what is that?"

"You're not going to like it."

"I don't care if I would like it! Doing something is better than doing nothing." Sandra smiled sadly at Jacob.

"You don't understand. What I'm about to ask you to do you can't just rush into it without thought. Sandra's fate is in your hands and it is up to you to determine whether you can do it." Jacob took a deep breath in and waited her question, playing calm for the time. "You need to end it." Jacob almost fell over as his heart skipped a few beats.

"You can't be seriously asking me what I think you are. You want me to kill Sandra." Jacob's tone was low but strangely sharp. "You can't want me to fight a friend?"

"You have to. If she fights me, her Heartless, she'll lose. But if you destroy me she'll attack you, and that would force you to fight her as well."

"And what good would come out of killing my own friend besides me hating myself?"

"You must look at the bigger picture, if you don't lots of people could die."

"But I can stop the Darkness! There has to be another way! You cannot ask me to kill a friend and I will not."

"Then let me show you what will happen if you won't." Sandra waved her hand and the bright light faded into complete darkness. Suddenly small specks of light appeared, Jacob took them to be stars, and then his home apeared between the two of them. Everything seemed normal to Jacob, but then again he wasn't used to seeing his planet from an outside perspective. "As you have no doubt noticed this is your home." Then his home got smaller as the rest of the solar system appeared in allignment around the sun. "And this is the system."

"Why are you showing me this?" Jacob asked examining the solar system, surprised by it's size.

"This is the system as it exists now. It will remain this way as long as Sandra's Heartless doesn't fight in it. This is what will happen just by the fight between the two." Sandra's Heart said. The light that came from the sun dimmed considerably, a few of the planets looked like they dried up, cracked, and then broke apart into space. "Let me show you what will happen to your planet." His planet enlarged so he could better see it. At first there was a small explosion, but it grew until it covered the whole planet. A chill raced up his spine as he thought of all of his friends and family that lived there, plaus the people he didn't even know. Before Jacob knew what was happening the view grew again, and this time he was standing on burning rubble that used to be his home.

"Where did the explosion come from? What made it happen?" Jacob asked. Sandra shut her eyes and the landscape flew by faster than a plane ride. Within seconds he began to recognize the scenery, or what was left of it. It was his hometown. Kneeling on the ground gasping for air, cradling a body of someone he didn't know, was a man he did recognize. It was Kyle. The look in his eyes was a madman's stare. He muttered incoherently to himself as he cradled the female in his arms. Then time froze, leaving Jacob stunned beyond words at what he was seeing.

"Kyle did this?" Jacob asked.

"Yes." Jacob strained to find the words to his questions, only to find fear and anger blocking real thought. "During the fight a woman named Marry will die, and Kyle will take his revenge. He will only succeed in destroying one of them though." Time began to rewind making Jacob a little nervous as the explosion retracked back to it's beginning. When Jacob opened his eyes he saw a battle that was beyond what he had seen so far.

He saw two Sandras fighting each other, both wielding two curved blades. One was smiling though, and he took that to be the Heartless. Slashing at each other furiously, they fought their way through crowds of people who tried getting out of the way. The Heartless was grabbing random people and throwing them in Sandra's way, who was dodging them and trying not to hurt them. One of them managed to trip Sandra on accident, making her land on her back. The Heartless followed suit and was on top of her in less then a second. Their blades were locked as they struggled to end the other's existance.

"Oh dear, without me you aren't strong enough anymore are you?" the Heartless asked smiling sadistically.

"I don't have to be to stop you." Sandra said. The Heartless jerked dangerously and slashed at Sandra, who quickly managed to get her other blade into the Heartless's forearm. The Heartless screamed in pain and jumped off of Sandra, who got back onto her feet and pursued the Heartless. The Heartless seemed genuinly afraid and tried removing the blade from her forearm, but Sandra wasn't giving her the neccessary time to pull it out. Sandra rammed into her Heartless and knocked it into a wall and began to repeatedly stab it, trying to finish it. The Heartless dropped it's blade and used its newly freed hand to grab Sandra by the throat and lifted her off the ground. Sandra tried freeing herself, but the Heartless's grip was too powerful for her.

"By the way, this is going to hurt." the Heartless warned. The Heartless rammed Sandra into the wall until it seemed she would pass out from the force. Jacob didn't pay attention to himself, but everytime she was rammed into the wall he flinched.

"This hurts you, I'm sorry." Jacob looked over to Sandra's Heart, tears in his eyes.

"I don't want to see this."

"Do you want to let this happen?"

"I want that even less."

"Then you must finish it before it comes down to it."

"I can't!" Sandra's Heart breathed deeply.

"I don't know how to get you to do it. If you won't then everyone dies."

"After I see this can't I warn Sandra? Warn other people that might be able to help?"

"That was the future of you warning people. Besides you destroying us, that was the best outcome." Jacob lost his feet and fell to his backside. He found it hard to breathe, it felt like their was acid in his lungs and a blazing fire in his eyes. Jacob sat there for a moment, letting the reality of everything sink in.

"That is the only way huh?" Jacob asked. His head swimmed from the confusion.

"Yes."

"I can't just destroy the Heartless and explain it to Sandra?" She shook her head.

"No, chances are she won't believe you until the end anyway." Jacob stayed silent for a moment.

"Can you send me back now? Please? I don't mean any offense to you, but you have a way of killing the mood."

"Promise me that you'll do it." Jacob stood up, his eyes staying on the ground.

"I promise that I'll try. You won't ever get me to promise anything more then that." She looked like she wanted to say something about it but then thought better of it.

"Then I'll hold you to that one instead. All I ask is that you try, if you can't do it I'll understand."

"Now send me back."

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Jacob slowly opened his eyes and squinted through the light that was in his eyes.

"Where am I?" Jacob asked.

"Stay calm. You've been asleep a whole day now. The fight took a lot out of you." a familiar voice said. Jacob looked over to his right, and he saw Ansem sitting there with a book in hand.

"Did I get them all?" Jacob asked.

"By no means. The ammount of power you used was extraordinary, but nothing more than a lightshow from outside. Zack gathered a group of men from the city and stormed the Castle after the explosion. Said he had to keep a promise." Ansem said patting Jacob on the shoulder. Jacob flinched, he was still very sore. A knock came from the door. "Ah, we were just talking about you." Jacob looked over to the doorway and saw a Guard standing there smiling.

"Hey kid, told you I'd be back for you. I thought you said you were going to fight the Heartless, not take a nap." Zack said jokingly walking over to Jacob's side. "How you holding up?"

"I'm alright, been better but I'm alright." Ansem stood up and tucked the book into his pocket.

"I'm sorry, but I have to leave. The King wanted me to report when you woke up. We were all very concerned." Ansem said walking out the door.

"Finally a break." Zack reached up and grabbed his helmet and yanked it off. He had black spiky hair with icy blue eyes. He had a single scar on his cheek. "You know it wasn't me alone that got you back right?"

"Yeah, you gathered some people from the town right?" Jacob said.

"That and my friend here." Zack waved a hand towards the door. A tall man with long silver hair walked in through the doorway. On his side he had a long but skinny blade that was easily taller than Jacob. "If it weren't for him, you'd probably be one of Heartless."

"That's quite enough Zack." the man said. Jacob sat up in his bed and took the man's hand after he extended it. "My name is Sephiroth."


	11. Kingdom at War: Part 2

It had been several hours after Jacob had woken up, and everything seemed normal. Jacob was getting ready for some real sleep until the intercom on the wall came alive.

"Jacob, wake up. We need you in Ansem's place." Zack's voice said over the intercom. Jacob got out of bed and walked over to the intercom wearily.

"I'm sorry guys, but can't it wait till morning? I am tired." Jacob replied.

"We're sorry too, but this needs your attention as well as ours or we wouldn't bother you for a while. Please get down here as soon as possible" Jacob sighed to himself.

"What seems to be the problem, if you don't mind me asking."

"We can't discuss it over the intercom. Jacob, just get down here and avoid contact with the other guards." Jacob wasn't so tired anymore. The sheer urgency in Zack's voioce caught his attention.

"Be right there." Jacob raced back to the bed and retrieved his pants. Not even caring to put his shoes on he opened the door and looked both ways down the hallway. He didn't see anyone so he ran as fast as he could down the hallway, trying to be as quiet as absolutely possible. He was halfway out when he heard footsteps behind him. He spun around and saw four guards walking heavily his way. He tried to keep running but he saw even more had gathered at the other end, trapping him between the two lines.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Jacob asked, smiling. They didn't believe his fake smile, it felt to him like they were staring right through him.

"Our orders are to capture you." one of the guards said. Jacob's smile was wiped from his face, leaving a cold as stone mask in it's place.

"Who's orders?"

"Captain Hanks." the guard replied, still walking towards him no brandishing handcuffs. Jacob looked at them once and felt that it was fight or die.

"You guys really don't want to try to catch me. I don't play nice with the bad guys." They ignored his comment and sped up. "My final warning, I have Something I have to do for a friend, and i won't let you stop me." The guards behind him grabbed his wrists and tried pinning them behind his back. He retaliated by kicking the guard's knee sideways. Inwardly he flinched at the sound of a snapping bone, it was different fighting humans than fighting Heartless. The guards pulled their weapons and charged Jacob, meaning to take him by submission. Jacob materialized the Keyblade and deflected the first of the many blows and deftly dodged the others. Somehow fighting these guys was easier than fighting Heartless. One of the guards hit Jacob in the side with a club, but Jacob reacted differently than they thought he would.

He grabbed the club while the guard still held it and lifted him off the ground, and continued to use him as an extension of the club, beating him into walls and the other guards that charged him. Finally the guard let go and went careening into a wall to be knocked unconcious, and with less weight on it Jacob threw it at the guard just off to his right. The guard flew from the sheer force of the hit and came to a sliding halt on the ground. The one Jacob had maimed by kicking his knee out grabbed Jacob by his leg, and reflexively Jacob kicked the man again with his free leg. Jacob looked over at the others and held his Keyblade in both hands and gave them a look that put the fear of god in them.

"Let me by." It was not a request. The others fled in fear of Jacob. Had they been Heartless Jacob would have pursued them, but it didn't feel right to be even fighting them. They had left him no choice. Jacob kept his Keyblade in hand as he raced towards his destination. On the way something occured to him, that maybe the Keyblade's power was not originally intended for fighting Heartless. He would look into it later when he had more time. He exited the building and started down the cobblestone road when he distinctly heard orders coming from behind him. The man issuing them had a gruff voice, maybe by age or by years of yelling Jacob couldn't tell. But there was definately more than a note of authority in his voice. He turned his head just for a moment and saw hundreds of people closing the main gate to the castle, not to keep people from leaving no doubt, but from coming in.

It didn't take Jacob long to find his way back to Ansem's place. When he arrived he didn't bother knocking. He put his shoulder to the door and started pushing. He noticed that it was extremely heavy, but doors to Manor's usually are. He started to hears clicks and snaps as something started to break. When there was enough room he slipped inside and continued down a corridor that he heard talking from. The huge table that had been used for eating earlier, was now sprawled with maps and charts. The room was alive with activity, what looked like soldiers running around the room relaying orders and the status of something. Among the commotion was Zack, Sephiroth, and Ansem. Jacob approached Zack.

"What is going on here? Explain that to me." Jacob asked, rather flustered. Zack looked over to Jacob only momentarily and then went on talking with one of the other soldiers. "Someone here better explain things!" Sephiroth looked over to Jacob, and then motioned to one of the other's to take over what he was doing.

"It's a riot. They have the King, Queen, and their daughter." Sephiroth said. Jacob held his breath for a moment and calming down some.

"Then why did they want me?"

"Leverage. Purely leverage. If they had one of the cities Heroes along with the Royal family they knew it would make it more difficult for us to fight them. Along those lines, I'm glad you made it out." Jacob took in the positive vibes that Sephiroth radiated.

"What do they want? Who's doing this?"

"The Captain of the guard is the one that started this. He has a substantial force behind those doors. His numbers are greater than ours by at least five times. And what does he want? Power, obviously. That's why he wants us to submit to his will or he's going to release Maleficent from her prison beneath the castle." Jacob didn't know who that was.

"Who is that? Is that person dangerous?" Jacob asked. Ansem paled and like a bolt of lighting was over at Jacob's side.

"It's not WHO is that, it's WHAT is that. And yes, it is dangerous. It took everything our world could offer just to imprison her. Detroying her is impossible, no matter how many times she fell she kept coming back like a reacurring nightmare." Ansem said pale as snow.

"I get the picture. Sephiroth, what good am I going to be in this? I only know where the Throne room is and the bedroom, other than that I don't know anything."

"That's all you need to know. Before you came Zack and I were discussing a course of action." Sephiroth guided Jacob over to where he had been originally and showed him maps and layouts of what appeared to be the castle blueprints. "Zack was going to take a force and go through the main sewer line and come up from the cellar east of the Kings chamber's. All in all he's in charge of getting the Royal Family out of there. My job is to go in there and distract them with my forces, hoping to lure Captain Hanks out into the open so we can dispatch him easily."

"What's my job?" Jacob asked looking at the maps, trying to understand the layout. Zack and Sephiroth looked at eachother for a moment and then looked at Jacob.

"Actually, you're part of the main force. We didn't know of anyone else who could do it alone." Zack said. Jacob heard the word alone, and he figured that the part he was to play was probably more dangerous than they were letting on. "We need someone to go in there and attack the main body of his forces, take out there larger groups so we can actually get in there without too much worry."

"Fine." Jacob said flatly. "If that's what I have to do then it what I'm going to do." Jacob was already committing it to memory his role and mission, although he was worried. He didn't want to lose his head in the fight and make another explosion, potentially harming, if not killing his allies. "When do we start?"

"An hour from now."

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Jacob had himself outfitted with one of the soldier's uniforms and a pair of military boots issued to him. They chaffed from him not having socks but this was not a time to be worrying about comfort. Jacob waited patiently, or at least he looked like it. He was a storm inside, a storm of questions and angry thoughts. He didn't understand what happened, why this was happening now. It could've happened to any other person and any other time, but it had to happen while he was here. He was tired of this test of abilities, he just wanted rest. He thought of Kyle and his reasons for wanting to stay on Destiny Island, and suddenly it dawned on him that maybe the only Keyblade wielders that get to rest are either dead or they were forced to earn it.

"Jacob..." Zack said, taking Jacob from his thoughts. "It's almost time. I just wanted to give you something before the opperation goes forward." Zack reached into his pocket and retrieved a cellphone. "Take it, my number's in here. If you need help at all just give me a ring and I'll come get you." Jacob reached a hand out and grabbed it and nodded solemnly to Zack.

"You do the same. I'll come find you and help you out of a jam, after all I owe you right?" Jacob said. Zack laughed.

"Actually I think we're even. You helped me and the other's escape earlier and I returned the favor is all. In my book we're even." Jacob just nodded. Sephiroth walked forward and held something in front of Jacob. It was in a small box so he couldn't see it.

"After tonight I think you've earned it." Jacob took the box and opened it. Inside was some kind of Crest, but he didn't understand it's value besides being a gift. "After tonight if you wish I can have you an honorary member of Soldier, our country take great pride in it. Myself and Zack are in it, it's a rare honor." Radios all around the room came alive.

'_Everyone get ready, we only have one chance at this._' Someone's voice said over the radios.

"I don't know right now about that, but what I do know is that after tonight I need to contact Chris and Sandra. We have some unfinished business."

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Jacob stood in front of the main door, trying to concentrate. The only problem was he had a song stuck in his head, the one that played the night he met Kyle and the others. He actually found himself singing slightly, even though he couldn't see why he was. He materialized his Keyblade and heard people laughing on the other side of the door, as if they thought he wasn't going to get through. There was a loud BOOM that erupted from behind him, and he felt the wind whip by as something large passed him. The projectile struck the door and blew it into hundreds of pieces, one of the larger one's flew at Jacob, who easily sliced it in half and with the song still stuck in his head charged into the castle.

The smoke started to settle letting Jacob see more clearly, and them see him easier as well. There was hundreds of them, but he found no anger in his heart, only sorrow for what he had to do. He charged them, and once he was within reach of them brought his Keyblade down hard. The first man fell to the ground, never to get up again. Something inside him broke as he realized he had taken a life, and once again he thought of Kyle. What atrocities would Jacob have to endure just to understand how Kyle felt, whatever it was he was beginning to want no part of it.

Jacob did his best to not get distracted, but as he struck more and more of them down it began to weigh on him. Fighting Heartless was his calling, not people.

_'Heartless used to be people.'_ Jacob thought to himself. A cold rush overcame him as this thought creapt it's way into his head. What was he to do? He was the only one that COULD do anything about it. One of the soldiers threw his arms around Jacob in a tight bear-hug and lifted Jacob off the ground. He kicked at the soldiers that kept coming towards him as he angrily struggled to free himself from his captor. Flexing to the extent that he could he managed to get his feet on the lower abdomen of the soldier who had him, and kicked off him with all the force he could. The soldier that had him was unable to hold onto him, and Jacob vaulted into the air above the heads of the others. Grasping some of the power inside of himself, he landed quickly yet gracefully on the shoulders of one of the guards, and as he leapt deftly from shoulder to shoulder he slashed his Keyblade at the soldiers. He tried to ignore the looks of terror the soldiers had as he killed them handfuls at a time, and the feeling he got when he would look into the eyes of the soldier he was about to kill.

A sword came into view above the heads of the soldiers, spinning violently as it made its way to him. He dove for it instead of trying to dodge it, and grabbed it with his free hand. He ducked and rolled as he hit the ground, but he wasn't even phased by it and cleaved his way through the enemy forces with both blades. He was not as good with his offhand as he was with his good one, but he still looked like the Grim Reaper wielding the blades that brought down Judgement and execution. As he parried an attack with the normal blade, it shattered the soldier's that had attacked him. His thoughts were interupted as the ground shook from an explosion. many of the enemy forces fell from the force, even Jacob had to keep himself from falling.

'_I need to hurry, there's no telling right now if they need my help or not. Better just to end it quickly._' Jacob thought to himself. Gripping harder on the Keyblade and sword he rushed the lines of enemy forces like a madman. He rammed his shoulder into the nearest soldier and knocked him out of the way, leaving a small path for him to enter their lines. He tried dodging around as many enemies as possible, trying to minimize the casualties. Someone grabbed him by the back of his uniform and threw him backwards. It had taken him by surprise so he had no time to react to it. He fell to the floor and skidded to a halt just outside their lines.

"Hey, this one's a distraction! More are coming through the Cellar!" one of the Soldiers yelled. People started filing out to meet the men coming from the Cellar.

'_No choice now._' Jacob said to himself. He stood up as quickly as possible and dropped the sword, gripping the Keyblade with both hands. He concentrated on where all his enemies were and his next actions that he would have to take. What soldiers hadn't left charged him with Zealous eyes. Jacob grabbed the power within him, and braced himself. When they were no more than two feet away from him, he called for the mercy of light so that this fight may be over soon. Slashing like a frenzied Berserker with the speed that even the word Haste falls short to describe, he slew those in front of him and continued on beyond them. Although he could not see every face or every man he hit with his Keyblade as he passed by, he could feel every light blink out around him as their lives were extinguished. When he saw that he had gone through the forces completely he turned to face the others and was frightened to see few still standing, or even alive. Those that were alive stared at him horrified. Holding the Keyblade at a readied stance, he stared the few left standing in the eyes and hoped that they would not continue their advances.

"Please leave. Drop your weapons and go back out the door till you see the other soldiers. I don't have to kill you." Jacob said, meaning every word of it. Immediately the remaining soldiers dropped their weapons and ran for the door. Sighing with relief he looked around him and sized up the carnage he had done. Many men were slain, most destroyed by his might beyond recognition, and others still with fear frozen on their faces. He felt numb, but also like he was falling inside himself, as if into a pit that had no end. A pit that held the faces of the fallen and screamed with their voices. A terrible sadness gripped him as he saw many of these soldiers weren't much older than him, still merely children just like him.

He dropped the Keyblade beside him, and it crashed to the ground loudly, but to Jacob the sound were as distant as the waves on his home island. His head dropped and looked at his hands.

_'Why? Why must we do this? Fighting Heartless, fighting something made of evil, is just not the same as fighting humans. Fighting flesh and blood enemies. Enemies that feel fear, that are ALIVE.'_ His hands began to shake with frustration. _'If this is my destiny, to slay others like myself, KIDS my age? I want NO PART OF IT!!!'_ It was at this moment, at the peak of his pain understand broke into his mind like a brick through a misty window. _'We fight so that no one else must. We fight for the hope of survival, we fight for peace. Some of us fight... because there is nothing else we CAN do. I understand now... Kyle.'_


	12. The Father of Sora

(Back to the present.)

Jacob examined Kyle who stared at Jacob, finally beginning to see him in a new light. Jacob was something else, learning about Kyle while looking at himself.

"That is if I'm not mistaken." Kyle nodded quietly, there was nothing really to say. Jacob had seen through him so easily, known his aggrevation at not knowing what to do, that all he knew to do was fight. "From what Yensid told us and your people-"

"Our people." Kyle corrected. Jacob stopped, stunned for a moment. "Before you continue you have the right to know something. The only people that can wield a Keyblade are decendants of My home planet. It's a some blood-power that is bred into generation after generation. It's not something that can be taught, but given the right circumstances, one Keyblade wielder can give one of his up to another."

"What are you saying?" Jacob asked a little confused.

"That somewhere down the line you have ancestry that leads to my world." Jacob nodded a bit in understanding. "But what were you saying about it?"

"You're not done training." Kyle snickered a little.

"No where near finished. I'm only 17, and believe me when I say when I turn 18 the whole perspective is going to change."

"How do you mean?"

"When our people become of age of adulthood, something in us awakens, and we continue training to learn the new powers we possess." Kyle said this while smirking, as if he had some idea of what he was saying. Truthfully speaking, he was told all sorts of horror stories about it. He had been told that it hurt terribly, and in other cases he was told that some people have died from it. Truthfully speaking he had no idea how much was false and how much was fact, either way he was very nervous about it.

"Well, we might need that kind of power soon." Kyle was pulled back to the reality at hand.

"Does this have to deal with how Chris died?" Jacob nodded. "What's happening out there?"

"We have some very bad news."

"Is Syrus back?" Kyle asked a tense, he didn't think he could survive another encounter. Syrus would probably have altered the Twisted Blade so that Kyle couldn't redirect his anger again, and who knows what would happen if that was the case.

"No," Kyle felt his tension slipping as he calmed. "but his brother's are." Kyle felt a dizzying wave a nausia as he heard those words uttered. Confusion and utter terror crept into his mind and penatrated to his very soul.

"There are... more of them?" Kyle asked fighting the urge to vomit. He had obviously paled because Sandra looked at him attentively, checking him so to keep him from passing out.

"Two more. Malleck, also known as-" Jacob started.

"The Reaper. I have heard of him. He's supposed to be dead.

"Yes, and Baelith."

"Baelith the Murderous." Kyle said. "Dead, both dead. But I guess they can't be can they?"

"Why not?" Jacob asked.

"Brother's won't kill brothers." and as Kyle finished his statement his whole world swam, then a numbing buzz resonated in his mind. And then there was darkness.

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Several hours later Kyle awoke to see Jacob standing in front of a mostly shut window, and Sandra who had a damp cloth in her hand who was gently wiping his brow.

"You're awake." Sandra said smiling. Jacob spun around on the spot and looked Kyle over.

"I wish this wasn't really happening. I wish it'd all just go away, leave me alone, let me live MY life." Kyle said grudgingly. Jacob strolled over and grabbed Kyle by the shirt and pulled him up to eye level. Obviously Jacob was infuriated by that statement.

"All this time you've wielded the Keyblade and it never even occurred to you? It never entered your mind that this IS the life we chose? Maybe not consiously but we had! Look at me Kyle!" Kyle looked into Jacob's eyes, and was struck with grief. He could see how much that statement had hit home with him as well, but he had an understanding that Kyle did not. "I chose this path by going with you to the island! I chose it when I took up arms against the Heartless, I chose it when I fought back against Syrus even though I was terrified! How did you get it? The Keyblade what were you doing when you got it?"

Kyle thought for a moment. It had been a long time since he had thought about it. He had almost forgotten it. But he was still shackled to the past with the Chain of Memories.

"I was at home, playing in the yard as most of the kids did then." Kyle shut his eyes as he could hear the laughter of the other children echo in his ears. How many children had died since then because of his failure? "I was playing with my friend Darren, Guards and Bandits was the game. I was the Bandit and he was the guard. I had missed being caught but barely. I had a few neighbors, but not many, and we all lived near a lake. After I had narrowly missed being caught I had heard someone yelling for help, so Darren and I ran to go see what the problem was as most curious kids would."

"When we got to the lake my next door neighbor's little girl, Saralee, was drowning. She had forgotten to wear a vest, and no one else was around. I had Darren go get his Dad, who was a Doctor, and I jumped in to go get her out of the water. I was only feet away when she went under again, and when I reached for her, I felt her hand graze mine as she slipped deeper. I dove down as deep as I could and grabbed her by the wrists, pulled her back to the surface. I wasn't paying much attention, didn't realize she wasn't screaming or making any sounds, all I could hear was my own heartbeat in my ears." Jacob lost most of his angry composure as Kyle continued on with his story. He had always assumed Kyle had some dark reason for being the way he was, maybe this is when his life turned on itself.

"I got her back to shore and she wasn't breathing. I tried to get the water out of her lungs which wasn't too hard, but she still wasn't breathing. I did CPR for I don't know how long. Maybe a few minutes, maybe a half-hour. All I know is that I was still trying when Darren had come back with his dad. His dad pushed me out of the way and listened for her breath, and then checked for a pulse. His look of shock I had seen became sadness, it was then I knew she had died. She had died because I was not fast enough to get her out of the water sooner, had not been listening." Kyle tightened a fist as a sad-anger rose inside him. A kind of pain that only someone who failed to save a life can feel. "It was in that moment that I pledged my life to whatever can give me the power to keep something like that from ever happening again. It was then I was able to summon the Keyblade for the first time." Jacob was silent as Kyle finished, and it was then Kyle really took what Jacob said to heart.

Maybe they aren't Destined to wield a Keyblade, maybe they aren't all doomed to fight. Every day they make a decision to keep on fighting, that's why they can use the Keyblade and other's can't. Others would only go so far and then quit or break from the stress, it was them, the actual WIELDERS were people who were willing to go the distance. Those who were willing to die everyday even if only to save a single life. Because that's what heroe's do isn't it? Take on a life no one else wants so that no one else would have to? Now that he thought of it this way, Kyle thought of those who had died on his home planet. At first they had stood their ground not because of honor or stubborness, but because no one else should have to. If they had WON that fight, there would be less Heartless in the universe for anyone to be afraid of and there would have been less need of more apprentice Wielders.

Kyle still felt the grief for his home and his people, but now he knew why they died. And he knew now why he must fight back. To honor their sacrifice, to make sure their deaths were not in vain. Kyle breathed in, and realized they were staring at him. Jacob had a confused look on his face and Sandra was also looking bewildered.

"What?" Kyle asked.

"You're smiling. I didn't expect that." Was he smiling? He hadn't known he was.

"Are you feeling alright?" Sandra asked eyeing Kyle. Kyle took another deep breath.

"I'm better then I've been in a long time." Jacob and Sandra both looked bewildered, but Kyle just shook his head. "It's something I had to understand is all. Something that helps me, do what must be done." Kyle said the last few words with such conviction that he felt the emotions of the other two like static filling the room. "When you're all ready I'll say my goodbyes to Mary and meet you at the ship."

"Actually Kyle, there's something we have to show you before we leave. It's something Yensid gave us. He told us not to look at it, said it was for you only."

"What could it be?" Kyle asked.

"No clue, you never truly know what that man is telling you or giving you until the right moment. Better follow his instructions to the letter, or else who knows what will happen." Sandra said, Jacob nodding. Jacob handed over something that resembled a little disk with a button and camera on the front. It was a portable hologram message. Whatever it was it must be important for him to go through so much trouble.

Jacob and Sandra both left the room, obviously as they had been instructed to. Kyle pushed a button to activate it, and before him stood a life-size hologram of Yensid. A man with a long white beard and a pointed, starry hat.

"Kyle it is imperitive that you listen to every word I have to say now. It concerns your future." Kyle paid closer attention when he heard that. "I have seen two courses that your life can take. One of which you stay with Mary for the rest of your life, and live happily until the day of your death. But on the other hand, you are gone, but this is what you gain." An image of a 14 year old boy appeared before him. He had brown spiky hair with deep blue eyes, and a skinny build on him. It struck him that this was someone he knew, or maybe someone he didn't. Not yet at least.

"This is your son, Sora." Kyle was struck dumb, he hadn't seen it till now. This boy did look alot like him. And not only that, it was his father's name? Only fitting for the boy. "He will be born 16 years from now if you choose this path. You will be there for his birth, but you won't be there to watch him grow up. He will grow up hearing about your legacy and will grow to be strong. Stronger than even you." Kyle lifted a hand to the hologram and tried to touch it. This was HIS son. If this what all that would be around as proof that he existed that would be enough.

"I cannot tell you what that choice is that decides between these outcomes, but once you start down that path there is no turning back. The choice will also decide who lives and who dies in the deciding fight at the end of the road. I cannot say which will die and which will live, but then again I have faith that you will make the choice that leaves us all with a good PILOT at the wheel." Yensid's hologram faded after that. Kyle was stunned at how Yensid had emphasized the 'Pilot', maybe it was meant as a warning of some kind? Or a direction that he was supposed to go? Sandra and Jacob walked back in. Kyle stared at them a moment before saying anything.

"Jacob, I think I need to hear the rest of you journey before we can leave."


	13. Repentance

Kyle stood very still as he absorbed his new knowledge. It was not easy to swallow, that he had to fight because there was nothing else he could do at this moment. His frustration still dug into him like a sliver that infected his soul, and now he knew why Kyle had seemed like a distant person, and why other people admired him. It wasn't for his strength or his ferocity in battle. It was his Will to continue even though he knew that what he did would cost him both emotionally and mentally. Jacob mentally slapped himself, he had been an idiot thinking that the Keyblade would solve every problem. He called the blade from the ground and into his hand, and there he examined it.

"The problems that are solved by you are drowned in a sea of destruction. I cannot tame your bloodlust, but some day by someone you will be. Until then, I call you the Reaper." Jacob said sternly. And as if in response the blade glowed brightly and became hot. He released it from his grip and could feel a pulsing sensation, as if a gaint heart was beating. Then the glow subsided and Jacob beheld what became of the blade. The Keyblade had changed, now black in color and spikes protruding from all sides extempting the hilt. The Key itself had become Scyth-like, giving it the appearance of something cruel instead of good. But on one side of the blade written in blue, obviously done by magic, said:

_'We fight wars. War is Hell. The only way out of Hell is Death. Only through Death am I gone. But through Carnage of War am I Reborn.'_ And on the other side of the blade was scripted: _'Reaper'_. Jacob felt tension mounting inside himself as he realized what this meant. Once the Heartless are gone, so are the Keyblades. But if they return...

"That won't happen." Jacob said through gritted teeth. If the only way to make the destruction of the Keyblade go away was to fight endlessly with the Heartless, then let them come. Another explosion rocked the Castle, shaking Jacob back to the reality of his situation. He found a new strength inside himself as he gripped the Reaper. Jacob thought for a moment, where were they right now? Probably floors above him and he didn't have time to use the stairs. Jacob smiled as he realized he didn't need stairs.

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Zack parried another attack from the throng of soldiers that blocked his way. They weren't hard to beat, there was just too many. He could fight harder and throw himself deeper behind their lines, but that would make his men open for a slaughter. He was running out of options. No doubt Jacob was having a rougher time with the front line a few floors down, although he'd seen him make it through just as bad of fights. Hopefully, they would both make it out alive to celabrate, or at least to say they lived. Zack didn't know what'd he'd do if Jacob died, just like Angeal...

Zack's thoughts were shaken as the floor a few feet ahead of him seemed to explode. Before the dust had even settled he saw a figure rending it's way through lines of the enemy as if they were nothing. At first it was like a bad nightmare with hero slaying the bad guys, but then Zack really saw him. It was Jacob, wielding a changed weapon that looked like a duel bladed scythe, with a look of concentration on his face. Now as Zack saw Jacob racing through the crowds cutting them all down, he realized why Jacob put a shiver down his spine. Wielding that weapon made him look like a demon. Jacob caught Zack's eyes and sprinted towards him.

"How's the fight going up here?" Jacob asked.

"Slow, they have most of my men pinned in the hallways and we can't reach the stairs from here. We need to get through to the next floor to meet with Sephiroth." Zack explained. Jacob gripped his Keyblade harder as he prepared himself for what he had to do.

"Where is the Royal Family?"

"Probably in the third tower. It's the Northestern one, can't miss it."

"I'll get the family, you guys deal with the guards." Zack nodded his ascent. Jacob stood up straight and made a wide arc with his Keyblade and swung it in a semi-circle in front of himself, sending dozens of men flying. Jacob new they were all holding back, because if they were trying as hard as they could there would be no telling through the chaos and destruction if the Royal Family would be able to survive. Granted they were probably a strong family, but there was no use in frantic risks. But he would not hold back, he would not allow defeat to be an option. Like a man raving from madness, he let loose a bellow that shook the soldiers on both sides go cold with fear of Jacob. The enemies in front of Jacob stopped and tried to retreat, but he pursued them with all haste, catching up, passing them by, and before he had even stopped to turn around to face them they had all fallen dead.

Slashing at the enemies in front of him, and on his sides, deflecting what attacks he could not dodge, he made the battle on this floor turn in favor of those still Loyal to the Royal Family. Zack and the other soldiers ran for the stairs and were soon out of sight, leaving Jacob alone with the enemies. As he struck down the enemies before him, and watching them flee before his very presence, without knowing what he was saying, he spoke cryptic words that would haunt the surivors of this bloody battle for decades to come.

"Swing your swords and shoot your arrows, you cannot harm me! Flee or fight, it matters not, you will all die! See me as I am and know I am Death itself!" Jacob was surprised by the words he had used, and got the distinct feeling they were inspired by his Keyblade. Still, without wavering he slew more and more of the enemy soldiers that seemed to pour out of the very walls to meet their doom. Before Jacob knew it he was running from mound to mound of slain enemies, which was piling higher by the minute. Finally the final few that had rounded the corner saw that he was standing atop a mound of fallen, and saw him with his Keyblade and instead of running, dropped their swords and shields and fell to their knees. They did not beg or plead for mercy, their eyes just wide with horror and silent resignation. There was nothing they could say or do, but to give up. How could a foe this powerful even be worth fighting? They wouldn't even slow him, and they knew it. If Jacob wanted to they would all be dead within a blink of an eye.

Jacob caught their eyes and felt true feeling pierce the stone he his heart had become to avoid going insane with grief. He looked down and saw the hundreds of bodies that were stacked on top of eachother, as if trying to make a wall of flesh and blood. Terror siezed him as he saw with his own eyes the death he had caused. The Keyblade fell from his grip as his hand trembled violently. It was only then the eyes of his enemies assaulted him with their terriefied looks before he had slain them. The hundreds of gasps and crying men that had fallen to his might were ingrained in his mind, even if he had not seen them at first, now they came at him like a thousand dead souls wailing in agony. Tears streaked down his face as he saw the faces of all the men, he could not bear it. Not another face, not another heart-wrenching scream, not another life on his soul. He felt soiled, even though he was still perfectly clean, he could almost feel their collected blood all over his body, staining down to his soul.

The two soldiers stared in confusion as Jacob began to back away from them, from the mound of bodies. Reluctantly they stood up and slowly followed Jacob over the mounds, neither of the three had weapons. Once they had a good look at him the older of the two soldier's gasped.

"Oh no, he's only a kid." the older of the soldier's said looking at Kyle. Instead of the man's tone being mocking it was low and saddened. "War is hell when children must fight." Jacob hadn't registered that the man was speaking, he was still backing away, unknown to him that he was crying. He slipped on a bracer of one of the fallen men and landed on his back at the base of a smaller mound. He couldn't catch himself, it felt like time was going so slow, but like everything was moving too quickly for him. He flipped to his hands and knees to steady himself, and saw a a face that would haunt him to his dying day: A boy not over 18 had somehow slipped into the battle, and by the look on the boys face, had seen Jacob's fatal blow coming even though Jacob had not seen this boy.

_Never again! I swear it! _Jacob swore to himself as he tried to stand, but was unable to life his eyes from the boy. A terrible sadness gripped his heart, and he feared there would never be a release from it. The pain would swallow him whole until there was nothing.

"We can slay him! While he is lost within himself!" the younger of the two yelled said to the older.

"I cannot, I will not. Nor should you, death begget's death. You are no older then he, I would not have you feel as soiled as I am, as he feels within himself."

"Where did this come from old man? Poetry in the middle of combat? We kill him and we end this fight!"

"You forget about Zack and Sephiroth. We cannot best them all. Besides, he is a wielder, can you not see that?" the younger man examined Jacob more closely before scoughing.

"I care not if he is a Wielder or not, what does it matter anyway?" the older man took his helmet off and bowed his head.

"I've been around long enough to know the True nature of a Wielder. They do not fight for the love of carnage, or out of bloodlust, they fight for whatever purpose is closest to the right one."

"So?"

"SO we have chosen our sides hastily. I feel now that we have chosen wrong, any man who finds himself crossing blades with a Wielder has chosen the wrong side." the older man knelt down beside Jacob and tried helping him to his feet.

"I don't care what side I'm on, I just want to fight!" the younger man said rushing to Jacob with a new sword being brandished. In the blink of an eye the older one had dropped to a knee again and grabbed a spear, and had penatrated the armor of the other soldier. The younger of the two didn't make a sound as the older let go of the spear and let the younger fall to his back.

Jacob barely stirred where the older man had left him, barely moving his eyes to see the other man.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you stop him? I would've gladly died to repent for my sins."

"Listen, if there's one thing I've learned about war, it's that no matter how many people you kill there's always more being saved by it somewhere."

"How does war save people? How does killing save lives?"

"If you had not been here to kill all these soldiers, these MEN, who on your side would you have given up to keep from killing these men? Would you sacrifice lives to keep yourself from feeling the guilt of death? If you let the other men die instead you would feel worse then you do now, there is no greater feeling of regret then letting a friend or family member die."

Jacob looked up at the man, with pained eyes.

"Does it get easier?"

"Never."

"Who are you?"

"Me? I'm Cid, usually I pilot ships, but today I was caught off guard and had to choose a side. Sorry I chose wrong."

"What I've learned is it's never too late."

"Sometimes it is too late to make up for the wrong you've done, but sometimes it's never too late from letting more bad happen. And I know how I can help."


	14. True Nothingness

Ironically Jacob couldn't keep his mind straight as he raced down the halls with Sid. His mind kept wandering back to Sandra, and wondered if he would actually be able to do it, fulfil his promise. Her smile kept intruding after every time he wondered if he would be able to do it, which didn't make it any easier. A part of him ached for her, wanted her to be whole again so he could see her real smile, one she could show and feel. That would not be acomplished if he destroyed her Heartless, she would never be whole, and in effect, would most likely try to kill him out of distress. A small chuckle came from deep within Jacob from these thoughts, a sadly ironic situation, he was falling for a girl who couldn't feel anything at all.

Sid looked back to Jacob with wondering eyes, as if scanning for signs of madness. Jacob couldn't blame him, his mind was so close to breaking he didn't care about much anymore. Killing boys his age, fighting an evil thats as old as the universe, trying to end a war that would undoubtedly outlast even him, made dispair find an home within him. Smiling to himself Jacob let another chuckle rumble through him, this time earning a concerned look from Sid.

"Keep it together or we'll be killed!" Sid said quietly. Jacob stopped chuckling, but his grin stayed plastered to his face. He smiled, but he felt like he should be crying and screaming, as he tried to rip his Heart out with his bare hands to make the pain go away. Even through that, his face would not obey him and instead smiled against his will.

"Let's go on then! Let's hurry before I lose what's left of my mind." Jacob said. Sid's face went stern and he nodded. They continued on through the hallways as silent as rats and swiftly as the wind. When they rounded what should have been the final corner several soldiers barred their way, shouting at the pair. Jacob instinctually called the Keyblade, and only for a moment hesitated before remembering what Sid had said:

"_We don't take lives, we save them." _Though the words brought him no comfort, they gave him new understanding to what his duty was. Griping his Keyblade with both hands he charged the few soldiers that had barred their way, and mercilessly struck them down before they had even drawn their own swords. Sid stared in wonder at Jacob, it had only been for a moment, but Sid had seen it. Every strike the boy had made to slay those soldiers, Jacob had flinched as if he himself had been struck instead of them.

"If we don't continue on soon the others will notice these soldiers are missing they'll be coming in droves again. If we're going to save lives instead of taking them we have to go faster or I'll be forced to kill more of them." Sid felt he understood Jacob somewhat. Jacob was using his last reserves of his will to continue fighting, another slaughter would break him. And they both knew it.

Although unknown to Sid, Jaocob was reserving the last of his will to slay the only woman he wanted to see smile. Had Sid really known had conflicted Jacob really was, Sid would have thought Jacob a madman already. Going even faster down the final hall, not caring if they were heard at this point, they reached the giant doors that were meant for supplies for the ships to come through.

"I'm not ready to die..." Jacob said lowly, but Sid had caught him. There was nothing Sid could do to convince the boy not to be affraid to die, it was normal in this kind of situation. Jacob understood that it didn't matter how stong he was, all it took was a lucky shot and it would be over for him. He wasn't ready... Sandra's face introduded on his thoughts again, this time he heard her say something with a grimace on her face:

"_I'm not ready to fade_.." That was something she had confided in him not two months ago when he had asked her why she still existed. Now he understood her fear, maybe better then most would. If he died he moved on to something, if she died and faded, she would be as if she never was. Anger coursed through his veins, he would save her even if it cost him his Heart, and these men were standing in the way. He would not let them stand in the way. He would not let her fade. He would not die... she would not die... she would not fade... she would not have to fear death... she would not...

A roar equivelent only to a lion erupted from his chest, and with a mighty swing he cleaved the doors open and acted, not felt. There was only anger, there was nothing else. There were no people in existance besides him and Sandra. Failure was not an option. The rage he felt blinded him with red, fueling his veins with pure fire, made his voice sound like a hundred instead of one. He felt no physical pain, the rage burned his muscles fiercly as a power that he never kne whe had, made itself known to him. They were not people he fought, they were obstacles, obstructions that threatened to force him to failure. Failure was not an option. He was not aware of time or the amount of obstacles he had overcome, but he would not be stop until there was nothing left to threaten Sandra.

From Sid's angle, watching Jacob was like watching a Demon that had been unleashed from hell. Terror was gripping him, he had to force himself not to pay attention to Jacob. He raced over to a console that would allow him to access one of the ships, and tried activating the fastest one. The very earth Sid stood on shook as Jacob had seemed to be underneath a pile of soldiers trying to subdue him, but had thrown them all off of him and continued the combat. The energy Jacob emanated was immense, it seemed to be coming from all over him. It came off of him and looked like heat shimmers, it even looked as if he was breathing the very escence of power from his lungs. Sid knew better then to get in the way, Jacob in his current condition would rend him to pieces and never think twice.

Jacob's mind was a twisted spiral of thoughts, everything leading back to Sandra's safety, her hapiness. If he had to, he would become the beast he knew hid within him. He'd let it out and destroy everything to bring her everything she wanted. He had promissed he would fight her Heartless for the greater good, the greater good no longer mattered to him. She WAS the greater good. He was not taking lives to save lives, he was taking lives because they threatened Sandra's life. Any threat needed to be expunged. The endless spiral of maddening love.

He had felt it coming on to him, slowly becoming closer to someone her knew could not feel the same way. Countless times she had told him she had no heart, but he had always believed other wise. Her Heart beat inside of him, and even if he had to rip it out to show her, he was going to prove his feelings.

A sharp sting came from his right side, brining him back to a form of awareness, and he saw one of the guards had injured him. The blade had barely missed piercing his back, and had sliced open his skin and shirt. Turning to face his opponent, he viewed the chaos he was creating, nad this time the piles of bodies didn't bother him one bit. In fact it was quite the opposite. Though killing humans felt wrong, he no longer questioned his motives. He knew his reason for killing these soldiers, and that reason was, to him, worth killing the whole world. His eyes connected with the enemy's eyes, who seemed to think better of his actions. With a movement not even Jacob had anticipated, the soldier attacked Jacob again, who merely paried the attack away. The force of both blades connecting sent painful vibrations up Jacob's arm, who stared surprised at the soldier. This man was more then he appeared to be.

Something about him felt wrong, and it was within the instant Jacob had recognized the feeling the soldier attacked him again with more vigor. The man's expression changed impossibly fast. As he attacked, Jacob had noted the soldier's lack of expression, then during slower periods of combat, would put on an expression of either fervor or fear. Neither of which Jacob thought this man was actually feeling. Once again their blades locked, but both pushed against their swords, trying to shove the other to gain the upper hand.

"What are you?" Jacob asked through gritted teeth. The soldier smiled, and before he had even done anything, Jacob felt the same air of disconnection he had felt whenever he was around Sandra. Jacob shoved with all his might and kicked off from the ground and was ariborne, landing a good five feet back. "You can't be! You're a Nobody!"

"Good for you, discovering me only too late in the battle. Now it's far too late."

"What are you on about?" Jacob felt uneasy around this Nobody, he felt different then Sandra.

"We have infiltrated every layer of this Kingdom! Crystal Garden will be the first to fall to us, and there is nothing either you or Kyle can do to stop it."

"How do you know about Kyle?"

"Oh please! Do you really think we're so blind as not to see there is another survivor? Although you can't be a TRUE survivor, can you half-blood?" Jacob was shaken by that last part.

"Either let's continue our battle to whatever the outcome or speak to me directly!"

"Did you know your father Jacob?"

"No..."

"Have you ever wondered why?" To be honest, Jacob had always assumed his father had died in some accident. Not even his mother seemed to know how Jacob's father had passed. "It's the fate of all wielders! One day, with or without a family they all DIE. Your father died for this planet, Crystal Garden!" the Nobody laughed as he said these words. Jacob took a step back and his breath caught in his throat. "How does it feel to be standing on your father's grave?"

For a few moments Jacob was silent, and his face dropped as he scanned the ground. He could see the small breeze kicking up dust around his boots, he could feel the grooves in his Keyblade for his hands, he could feel the blood drain from his face. Every beat of his heart was made known to him. His Heart... Heart...

"Good going, for a moment you made me care. Enough prattle, just die." Jacob closed the distance with few strides, and assaulted the Nobody with a hail of blows. And at one point Jacob had thought that maybe this Nobody maybe too strong for him, but with desperation he searched his mind.

'_Father, if what this Nobody says is true, guide me! Help me beat it...' _And moments later Jacob had locked blades with the Nobody again, and it was then he realized it was HE who was stronger. This Nobody's power came from stalling. And Jacob did the one thing that the Nobody didn't expect: Both hands let go of the Keyblade and let it flip into the air. With both hands free, Jacob grabbed the hilt of the Nobody's sword, and they grappled for the wielding of the sword. Jacob lifted his right leg, and barely with enough power or balance kicked at the Nobody's knee, and with the resounding crack, Jacob was able to retrieve the sword. The Nobody fell to it's back and stared at Jacob blankly.

"All Nobody's like you can remember what it was like to FEEL. What do you remember?" The Nobody laughed quietly to himself, as if in despair.

"Fear."

"Then I shall deliver you from it." Jacob brought the tip of the blade down and into the chest of the Nobody, and instead of the sick feeling of it slicing through flesh like it had when he killed the soldiers, it felt like he was going through like a gel. And he watched in disbelief as a smile crept across the Nobody's features.

"You have delivered me from nothing, only handed me over to the thing I feared most." It seemed to Jacob that the Nobody was fading before his eyes, it was a strange sight.

"And what is that?"

"To the Nothing." A hollow laugh excaped the Nobody as he seemingly evaporated from sight. The laugh seemed to continue on even after the Nobody had vanished, but it echoed off the walls before it also seemed to disappear.


End file.
